Meet Parashurama, the warrior sage, the immortal protector of Dharma, and the fierce yet ascetic sixth avatar of Vishnu. From avenging his father’s death to shaping the land of Kerala, his tales are etched in legend. But did you know the avatar of Vishnu is also linked to Kalaripayattu and Shiva? Read on the explore the unknown stories of Parashuram.
Parashurama: The sage-warrior who became Vishnu's sixth avatar
Parashuram- “parashu”- ax, Ram with an ax, is a warrior-asetic, a unique combination of austerity and valor, worshipped as the sixth incarnation of Vishnu, among the Dashavatara tradition. His devotees see him as a revered Brahmana, a protector of Dharma, and a Chiranjeevi (immortal) who remains on the earth throughout the rise and fall of Yugas.
Parashuram was born as the son of the rishi Jamadagni and his wife Renuka. He was given the name “Rama”, and later, as he received the Parashu or ax from Shiva, he came to be known as Parashuram. He was the youngest of the five sons of his parents, the other four being Rukmavan, Suhotra (Sushen), Vasu, and Vishwavasu. In the Vishnu Purana, Parashuram is said to have a wife named Dharani (literally- she who carries, an incarnation of Lakshmi).
The most popular story of Parashuram is the legend of him teaching a lesson to the sinning Kshatriyas. According to the Puranas, when the kings, who were meant to uphold Dharma, were following the path of Adharma, Parashuram (Vishnu) came to the earth and annihilated the kings to relieve Prithvi (Mother Earth) from the burden of their sins.
Parashurama Jayanti - 19th April 2026, Sunday / रविवार
Tritiya Tithi Begins - 10:49 PM on Apr 19, 2026
Tritiya Tithi Ends - 07:27 PM on Apr 20, 2026
One of the most well-known stories of Parashurama is his destruction of the Kshatriya class 21 times. This act, according to a few Puranas, was in response to the killing of his father, Sage Jamadagni, by the Kshatriya king, Kartavirya Arjuna. Kartavirya wanted to possess the Kamadhenu, the wish-fulfilling cow that lived in Jamadagni’s ashrama. When the sage refused, the king mercilessly killed him.
In other sources, it is said that when Renuka, Jamadagni’s wife, was intrigued by Kartavirya, her husband saw it as a fault in her Patni-vrata (vow of devotion towards the husband) and ordered Parashuram to punish Kartavirya and his mother. Parashurama vowed to cleanse the world of tyrannical Kshatriyas, reclaiming their lands and redistributing them among sages.
Kartavirya Arjuna, a thousand-armed king, once stole Sage Jamadagni’s divine cow, Kamadhenu. In retaliation, Parashurama fought him and his army, ultimately killing him and restoring dharma.
A fascinating legend connects Parashuram to the creation of Kerala and the Konkan coast. It is believed that he threw his battle axe into the ocean, causing ocean water to move away and land mass to rise from its depths. This story has led to his deep association with the Malabar region and various temple traditions in Kerala, where Parashuram is worshipped as a collective ancestor and guardian of the entire region.
In the Ramayana, Parashurama makes an appearance after Lord Rama breaks Shiva’s bow during Sita’s swayamvara. Recognizing Rama’s divine nature, Parashurama acknowledges him as the next great Kshatriya and withdraws from worldly affairs.
Parashurama is often described as the guru of several great warriors, including Bhishma, Dronacharya, and Karna. However, his refusal to grant Karna the knowledge of Brahmastra fully, due to Karna's deception about his lineage, adds to his enigmatic character.
Parashurama is typically depicted as a warrior sage with matted hair or Jata (like Shiva), wearing a deer-skin or tiger skin over his ascetic robes, holding a battle axe (Parashu) in one hand. He is often shown with a bow and arrows as well, representing his role as a guardian. A Tripunda or forehead mark adorns him, enhancing the peacefulness of his expression, which contrasts with the sterness in his posture, reinforcing his role as the protector, ever-alert.
In the Bhagavata and Agni Purana, Parashuram is described as a four-armed divine warrior.
Parashurama is worshipped in several temples across India, particularly in Kerala, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. Some of the significant temples dedicated to him include the following:
🔷Parashurama Temple, Chiplun (Maharashtra): A prominent shrine where he is worshipped as the redeemer of the land.
🔷Thiruvallam Parashurama Temple (Kerala): The only temple dedicated to Parashurama in Kerala and one of the sacred Vaishnava Abhimana Kshetra (108 in total), where the warrior-God is worshipped as the creator of Kerala.
🔷Pajaka Kshetra Upupi (Karnataka): It is a sacred spot believed to have been created by Lord Parashuram, who also made 4 ponds- Gadatirtha, Banatirtha, Dhanushtirtha, and Parashutirtha in the place, making it a center of devotion for his followers. It is also an important pilgrimage spot for the followers of the Dvaita philosopher Madhavacharya.
🔷Parashuram Mahadeva Mandir, Rajasthan: Known as the “Amarnath of Rajasthan” or “second Amarnath”, this temple is believed to have been made by Parashuram for worshipping Lord Shiva. Instead of Parashuram Jayanti, the temple has a fair (Mela) in the month of Sharavan, dedicated to Shiva and his devotee, mainly of Shashthi and Saptami.
🔷Parashuram Kunda, Lohit (Arunanchal Pradesh): The pond in Arunanchal is one of the rare spots in the northeast region dedicated to Parashuram, where the warrior-God is believed to have washed away his sins by dipping his ax in the water of Lohit.
🔷Ananteshwara Temple, Udupi: This is the only temple where Parashuram is worshipped in the unique Linga form, placed on a silver vedi or peetha, which is why the temple town is also called “Rajat Peetha” (rajat- silver).
🔷Ettumanoor Mahadeva Temple: A temple of Parashuram, this spot is believed to have been visited by the Pandavas and Rishi Vyasa. Shiva was worshipped in this place (ooru) in eight (ettu) forms, hence the name.
Since Parashuram is not as popularly revered in Hindu traditions as other avatars of Vishnu- Rama or Krishna- his interesting legends are also not too well-known. Here are a few lesser-known facts about Parashuram that will inspire awe and intrigue-
Parashuram is worshipped as Mahavishnu or the Great Vishnu in the western and southern parts of India. The reason being, he is the powerful warrior who brought these lands out of the ocean water. Legends tell that when Parashuram threw his ax along the west coast from the Salher fort in Maharashtra and pulled it back, the land from Gokarna to Kanyakumari was revealed from the depths of the sea. In the 17th-century Malayalam work Keralolpathi, it is mentioned that Kerala was among the lands that were retrieved by Parashuram, which is why it is called Parashura-kshetra.
According to tradition, when the land came out of the sea, it had too much salt covering it, which made it impossible for humans to survive on it. Parashuram, the great Vishnu, then summoned the Vasuki serpent, who washed the land with his sacred venom that blessed it with abundance and fertility. This is why, along with Parashuram, serpents or Naaga are also worshiped in the Parashuram-kshetra.
In the Vaayu Purana, a legend narrates the story of Parashuram’s unique nature, why he is a balance of the benevolence of Vishnu and the pure wrath of Shiva. According to the story, his mother, Renuka, consumed an offering made during a Yagya that was for both Rudra-Shiva and Vishnu, resulting in the birth of a son that had a combination of the powers and characteristics of both the gods.
On the orders of his father, Jamadagni, Parashuram had to sever the head of his mother. But the sin of her Hatya (murder) followed him. To wash himself of it, Parashuram roamed the earth but could not find a solution. Finally, he reached Tirthahalli village in Shimoga (Karnataka), and in the Tunga River, he washed his ax and was rid of his sins. He then made a Shiva Linga and worshipped it. This spot is where the Rameshwaram temple is situated, and the place where he washed the weapon is called the Ramakunda.
After killing the kshatriyas many times, Parashuram needed to wash the blood of his ax, but much like in the case of his mother, it was not easy to get rid of the sin of killing finally he reached a place and washed himself and the weapon in 5 ponds, which came to be known as the Samanta Panchaka. According to certain sources, these kundas are located somewhere around Kurukshetra, and the Pandavas are also believed to have performed a ritual in Samanta Panchakas before the battle.
Kukke Subarahmanyam, Udupi (Krishna temple), Kumbhashi (Anegudde Vinayaka), Kodeshwara (Kundapura Koteshwara Mahadeva), Shanakaranarayana (Shiva and Vishnu), Kollur (Mookambika), and Gokarna (Mahabaleshwara) are the seven, Sapta Mukti Keshtras, that bless the devotee with salvation. These are the part of the land that was revealed when Parashuram threw his ax, and the ocean pulled back, connecting the warrior-God with these temples.
One day, when Parashuram was visiting the Kailash Parvat to see Shiva, he was met by Ganesha, who was standing guard as the Gana and Dwarpala, protecting the home of his parents. Ganesha tried to stop Parashuram, which angered the warrior-sage, and in rage, he threw his ax at the god. Since the weapon was bestowed on Parashuram by Ganesha’s father, Shiva, out of respect for him and Parashuram, Ganesha did nothing to resist the attack, and the powerful weapon cut one of his tusks. This is the lesser-known story of why Ganesha became “Ekadanta” or single-tusked.
While primarily a Hindu figure, Parashurama finds mentions in Jain texts as well, though in a slightly different form, emphasizing his role in cosmic cycles.
Some texts suggest that Parashurama will reappear as a mentor to Kalki, the tenth and final avatar of Vishnu, training him in martial skills to end the KaliYuga.
The folklores connected to Kalariyapattu dedicate this ancient martial art to Parashuram, who learned it from Lord Shiva. He then taught the art to his disciples and established 108 Kalari schools in Kerala, from where this unique martial art travelled the world.
Parashurama Jayanti is celebrated to commemorate the birth anniversary of Lord Parashurama. It is celebrated on the third day of the bright fortnight of the Vaishakh month of the Hindu lunar calendar. This corresponds to the months of April-May according to the Gregorian calendar.
According to Hindu Scriptures, Lord Parashurama is the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and is believed to be extremely aggressive besides being an expert warrior. The meaning of Parashurama is “Rama with an Axe” and it is believed that the axe that he constantly carried around was gifted to him by Lord Shiva himself. He is also believed to be the creator of India’s western coastline that corresponds to the modern-day states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, and Kerala.
People generally chant Vishnu Sahasranama throughout the day or sing devotional songs and recite mantras. They also offer tulsi, Kumkum, Chandan, flowers, and fruits to Lord Vishnu and keep a fast that starts a day before the festival and ends after sunset.
According to legend, at one time the warfare between the Kshatriyas on earth and the resulting cruelty crossed all limits. This led the Goddess of Earth to plead to Lord Vishnu to protect the common folks and other creatures from this cruelty. So, Lord Vishnu took birth as the son of a brahmin couple named Renuka and Jamdagani. When his father was killed by the Kshatriya for resisting the confiscation of their family cow, he picked his axe to eliminate all such evil kings and did this 21 times.
Lord Parashurama is believed to be immortal and hence his birth anniversary is celebrated unlike that of any mortal being. On this day people generally worship Lord Vishnu, from whom Lord Parashurama originated. They spend the day fasting and offering prayers to Shri Hari Narayana, the protector of creation.
Parashurama stands as a paradoxical yet influential figure in Hindu traditions. His story carries the tensions between a warrior’s spirit and righteousness that is mostly seen as calm and serene. Besides his role as a guardian and protector, Parashuram is also associated with legends of redemption and atonement- rising above one’s sins and realizing the supreme wisdom. The various Mukti Kshetras and sacred spots located all over India that are attached to his legends suggest that the devotees see Parashuram as a redemptive deity.
In his act of annihilating Kshatriyas, he shows that mercy can not be shown to those who are lost cause, a true protector as an incarnation of Vishnu. On the other hand, he himself “sins” and atones to show the followers that there is hope. That the path of Dharma can be followed, despite faults, and that the quest for purifying oneself (much like his journey all over India to wash his sins), is in itself a life lived righteously.
Your email address will not be published *
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist