Consequently, Bhrugu foretold that Satyavati’s son will display Kshatriya traits and her mother’s son will display Brahmin Traits. After some pleading, Satyavati convinced Bhrugu to have this effect, not on her son (Jamadagni) but her Grandson (Parshuram) Jamadagni married Renuka, daughter of King Prasenjit. They had five Sons, Parshuram being the youngest, the others being Rukmvan, Sushen, Vasu and Vishvasu. As Bhrugu had foretold, Parshuram, despite of being born in a Brahmin family, had Kshatriya traits in terms of valour, as was displayed after Haihaya King Sahasrarjuna killed his father Jamadagni.
The Killing of Jamadagni
A Haihaya King Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrarjuna – purported to possess a thousand arms) and his army visited Jamadagni, a Brahmin sage, who fed his guest and the whole army with his divine cow Surabhi. The king demanded the magical cow. Jamadagni refused because he needed the cow for his religious ceremonies. King Kartavirya Arjuna (Sahasrarjuna) took the cow forcibly and devastated the ashram. Angered at this, Parshuram killed the king’s entire army and, after cutting each one of his thousand arms, killed the king himself with his axe. As a revenge, the King’s sons killed Jamadagni in Parshuram’s absence.
Furious at his father’s murder, Parshuram killed all sons of Sahasrajuna and their aides. His thirst for revenge unquenched, he went on killing every adult Kshatriya on earth, not once but 21 times, filling five ponds with blood. These are the actions which highlight his warrior characteristics. Ultimately, his grandfather, Richeek Rishi appeared and stopped him. Subsequently, he donated the whole of the earth won from the Kshatriyas to Brahmins. Drona reaped the benefit of this donation by Parashurama; he went to Parashurama and requested for Parashurama’s warfare skills. Parashurama agreed.
Bhagwan Parshuram – Legends
It is said that when Parashurama saved and reclaimed Kerala, he settled Kerala from the retreat of the sea, that was the beginning of the Kollam Era (AD 825) (possibly named after the city Kollam) for the Malayalam Calendar.
According to one legend, Parshuram also went to visit Shiva once but the way was blocked by Ganesha. Parshuram threw the axe at him and Ganesha, knowing it had been given to him by Shiva, allowed it to cut off one of his tusks.
There is an interesting side to Parshuram’s conquest of Kshatriyas. After one his conquests, he returns to Aihole (Badami Taluka, Bagalkot district in Karnataka) which, some say was where he lived. Those who know Aihole would know that the river Malaprabha does a near 180 degree turn there. While Parshuram washed his blood soaked axe upriver, beyond the bend, there were village belles washing clothes downriver. The axe was so bloody that it turned the entire river red. This, the women washing clothes saw and exclaimed “Ai hole!” (Oh, what a river!). The name stuck and the village is now known as Aihole. There is a legend that Nairs (Nagas) of Kerala removed their sacred thread and hide in forest to avoid Parshuram’s revenge against Kshatriyas. Parshuram donated the land to Nambuthiri Brahimns and Nambuthiris denied the Nairs Kshatriya status (though they did Kshatriya duties and almost all the royal houses in Kerala come from them)
Shiva’s Bow
In the Ramayana, Parshuram came to the betrothal ceremony of the seventh Avatar of Lord Vishnu, Rama, to princess Sita. As a test of worthiness the suitors were required to lift and string the bow of Shiva, given to the King Janaka by Parshuram. Rama successfully strung the bow, but in the process it broke in two, producing a tremendous noise that reached the ears of Parshuram.
In one such version, played in ramlilas across India, Bhagwan Parshuram arrived after hearing the sound of the bow of Shiva breaking. The Kshatriyas were afraid to confront the sage, but Sita approached the sage. He blessed her, saying “Saubhagyawati bhavah”, literally meaning “be thou blessed with good luck”. So when he turned to confront Rama, the destroyer of Shiva’s bow, he could not pick up his axe to do so. This was so because, as he blessed Sita with good luck, he could not cause any harm to her husband. At the same time, he recognized Rama for what he truly was, namely, the avatar of Vishnu as his bow fent flying in the hands of Lord Rama.