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Parashurama (Rama of the axe plow), the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, was born a brahmin but had been blessed with extraordinary physical power uncharacteristic of brahmins. He was a better fighter than any Kshatriya (the Kings lineage) who were the warrior clan blessed with such physical strength. Outraged by king Arjuna and his son Kritaveeryarjuna , who first stole Kamadhenu (Kamadhenu was the cow of abundance, who fulfils all the desires - Surabhi's daughter, Nandi's sister and was a gift to Parashurama's father Jamdaagni from Lord Indra , the ruler of the heavens). Kritaveeryarjuna then killed his father Jamdaagni and Parashurama swore to destroy the whole Kshatriya clan. Vishnu as Parashurama, in the course of a war which lasted 21 years, went on to destroy all the Kshatriyas, thus he accomplished the task for which he had come to the earth. But he was known to have one quality. He never killed Kshatriyas that had wives for he had vowed not to widow any woman and he never killed women. Thus two of the most important Kshatriya dynasties of Hinduism were spared. These were the dynasties of Raja Dasharatha (Lord Rama's father) the king of Ayodhya and Raja Janaka (Sita's father), the king of Mithila . So great was Parashurama's hatred for the Kshatriya clan that, legend states that he even challenged Lord Rama to a dual! When Raja Janaka organized the "swayamvara" (a ceremony where kings and prices were invited so as to find a suitable match for the kingdom's princess) for his daughter Sita , it is well known that Lord Rama broke the Bow that Shiva had given to Janaka so that his daughter may only marry the strongest man!
Only the strongest man could have broken that bow and so Sita was dutifully married to Rama at Mithila. On their journey returning from Mithila to Ayodhya their cavalcade was interrupted by none other that Parashurama. For he was livid with anger. He had been tutored in the art and skill of archery by Lord Shiva himself, and here was Rama who had broken Shiva's bow and to add to his anger he was a Kshatriya boy! So he challenges Lord Rama to a dual. Both are such good fighters that neither can overpower the other.....suddenly their eyes lock and Parashurama realizes that Lord Rama is none other than Vishnu Himself! It was time for his incarnation to come to an end and so he retires to the deep forest for the rest of his life. Parashurama is considered immortal and is believed to be living in that forest to this day! |