Parashurama
The Warrior Sage
The 6th avatar - a Brahmin sage who took up weapons against corrupt kings. He appears in both the Ramayanam and Mahabharatam.
- Sanskrit/Telugu name: పరశురాముడు
- Also known as: Bhargava Rama, Jamadagni Putra
- Weapons: Parashu (గొడ్డలి)
- Symbols: Axe, Bow, Brahmin warrior
Story
Parashurama is unique - a Brahmin who became a warrior. When corrupt Kshatriya kings oppressed the people, Vishnu incarnated as Parashurama, trained in weapons by Shiva himself, and defeated the warrior class 21 times. He appears in the Ramayanam as a challenger to young Rama (testing him by asking him to string Vishnu's bow) and in the Mahabharatam as the guru of Bhishma, Drona, and Karna. In Telugu tradition, he is one of the Saptarishis and a Chiranjeevi - believed to still be alive.
Fun fact
Parashurama is believed to have created the Kerala coast by throwing his parashu (axe) into the sea. He's one of the 7 Chiranjeevis (immortals) who will return to train Kalki, Vishnu's final avatar.
Family and connections
- Avatar of: Vishnu