Parashurama or Bhargava Rama, - Part 1- Background, ancestors and birth of Parasurama

Did you know that Parashurama or Bhargava Rama, or Bhagavan Parasurma, an avatara or incarnation of Vishnu even earlier to Ayodhya Rama who lived in the Treta Yuga, and also of Lord Krishna during the Dwapara Yuga, was a direct witness to both epic events of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata?

Did you know that Parashurama’s whole life is the ultimate story of a revolutionary, a direct descendant of the sage Bhrigu, was one of the Saptarishi in the current age of Manvantara, a Chiranjeevi ( (Immortals),?

Parashurama, also known as Bhargava Rama or Bhagavan Parashurama, was born to father Jamadagni in the lineage of Bhrigu rishi (Manasa putra , mind born son, of Brahma) and hence was called Bhargava Rama, and is also referred to as Rama Jamadagnya. His mother was a Ksahtriya woman called Renuka (king Gaadhi’s daughter) and they lived in forest hermitage near the village of Janapav Kuti, in present day Mhow Tehsil, Indore district of Madhya Pradesh, in the Narmada valley. It was foretold that Parashurama would appear at a time when overwhelming evil prevailed on the earth, as the sixth avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu even earlier to Ayodhya Rama who lived in the Treta Yuga, and also of Lord Krishna during the Dwapara Yuga. Bhargava Rama , as he grew up, became knowledgeable in all astras, shastras, and divine weapons, He transformed into a fierce warrior to protect the weak and punish the wicked and his life is thus the ultimate story of a revolutionary. During his three expeditions round the world, twenty one times, Parashurama killed many many Kshatriyas as a revenge for the kiling of his father Jamadagni by sons of the despotic Kshatriya ruler Kartavirya Arjuna of the Hayhaya kingdom. However, Parasurma did not wage war against the Surya and Chadra dysnaties - King Dasaratha and king Janaka though were kashatriyas. But befriended them. Parashurama in revenge had killed Kartavirya Arjuna also.

Parashurama is thus present in the Ramayana epic due to the conflict with Rama (the protagonist of the Ramayana) over Shiva's broken bow. He is mentioned in the Mahabharata as the guru of Bhisma, Drona, Rukmi, and Karna. Meanwhile, around the same time as Jamadagni's birth, Gadhi's wife (Satyavati's mother, whose name is not mentioned) gave birth to a son with Kshatriya traits, named Kaushika. He later becomes the renowned Vishvamitra, who was a Kshatriya by birth, but later ascended to the status of a Brahmarishi.

The Bhagavata Purana describes Parasurama's icon as one with four hands, carrying his axe, bow, arrows and a shield like a warrior.

The Kalki Purana writes that Parashurama will re-emerge at the end of time to be the martial guru of Kalki. He will then instruct the final avatar to undertake penance to receive celestial weaponry, required to save mankind during the end times.

Parashurama's life on earth has been very aptly extolled in a Sanskrit sloka, recited in his honour, which reads:

अग्रत: चतुरो वेदा:

पृष्‍ठत: सशरं धनु: ।

इदं ब्राह्मं इदं क्षात्रं

शापादपि शरादपि ||

Agrato Chaturo vedah

Parishthato sasarm dhanuh|

Idam brahhamam idam kshatram

Saapaadapi saraadapi!

Purport In English:

"On Parashurama's face are the four Vedas which embody the traits of a Brahmin; on his back are his bow and arrows which embody the triats of a Kshatriya”.

To elaborate : “Parashurma is one in whom the qualities of a wise brahmin and a powerful warrior merge. An immensely knowledgeable Brahmin, his curses can reduce to ashes; as an unparalleled archer and warrior his fatal arrow can do the same. “

Parashurama's ancestry starts with sage Bhrigu. Bhrigu married Puloma, Hiranyakshipu's daughter and they had a son named Chavana. Chavana had two wives Sukanya and Aarushi . Aurya was the son of Chavana and Aarushi and he was so named as he was born his mother's ooruh (thigh). Aurya's son was Ruchika . Ruchika married Satyavati, sage Viashvamitra's elder sister . Their son was Jamadagni where the story of Parasuarama begins.

Jamadagni studied hard and achieved erudition in his studies of the Vedas. He had also acquired knowledge regarding the science of weapons without any formal instruction, with the tuttelage of his father.The Aushanasa Dhanurveda, he learned is about a conversation between Jamadagni and Ushanas on the exercises of warfare. After achieving the status of aa erudite rishi, Jamadagni visited a number of holy sites, and finally reached the palace of King of the Solar dynasty. He fell in love with his daughter, Princess Renuka, upon seeing her, and asked the king for her hand in marriage.

Jamadagni and Renuka started a peaceful life in a hermitage at Janapav living on forest produce in the Naramada valley. Initially they had four sons named Rumavanth, Sushena, Vishwavasu and Vasu. These boys were scared of mild animals, reptiles etc and were not known for theri coruage and fearlessness to live in an hermitage in a forest environment. Renuka, their mother was quite disturbed with this situation and told Jamadagni about her apprehenasions related to the sattva guna quality of their sons which tantamonted to being not able to even protect themselves. She theri desired for another son who would fearless and strong and who could protct his parents and t all his four eleder brothers . So it came to be that Jamadagni and Renika did yagna and prayed for another son to be born to them who would not only be intelligent and physically and mentally strong with unmatched valour. So they performed Putra Kameskhi Yagna, Renuka partook the oblationsof the Yagna, which resulted in her conciveing a child, It was their belief that the son who would be born to them would be an incrediably extraoridany soul, a divine soul , probaly a divine avatar incarnation of Vishnu. Jamadagnci told his wife that the unfathomable divinity she was carrying was spreading its radiance through her. Their family cow Suseela who was standing next to the couple, endorsed the sage's view, in a unique way. To thei astonishment of Renuka and Jamadagni the cow Susheela, circumambulated Renuka and went back to her original position and gazed into Renuk's eyes as if confirming the fact of her carrying divinity within her. The couple named their divine son, their fifth son, as Rama or Bhargava Rama after thier lineage of Bhrigu rishi, who later in life with his weapon adornements of an axe in one hand and bow and arrow came to be called Parashurama.

The celestial cow called Surabhi or Suseela , gave Renuka and her family all that they desire (Surabhi is the daughter of cow Kamadhenu). This cow became the cause of much tragedy and warfare completing chnaging the life style of Parasurma a into a fierce warrior,

There are other versions of Parashurama's birth, narrated in the Puranas, such as:

I In the Devi Bhagavata Purana, he is born from the thigh with intense light surrounding him that blinds all warriors, who then repent their evil ways and promise to lead a moral life if their eyesight is restored. The boy grants them the boon.

In the Vishnu Purana, Ruchika prepares a meal for two women, one simple, and another with ingredients that if eaten would cause the woman to conceive a son with martial powers. The latter is accidentally eaten by Renuka, and she then gives birth to Parashurama.

In the Vayu Purana, he is born after his mother Renuka eats a sacrificial offering made to both Rudra (Shiva) and Vishnu, which gives him dual characteristics of Kshatriya and Brahmin..

Note: To be continued in "Parashurama or Bhargava Rama, - Part II early life of Parashurama",

Narasipur Char