Essence Of Maha Bhagavatha Purana

Parasu Rama, an paradigm of paternal devotion and destruction of Evil

 In the lineage was born Jamadagni and his wife Renuka gave birth to their youngest son Parasu Rama or Rama with an axe. He destroyed the whole clan of contemporary Kings who were tyrants and cruel to their Subjects and also to believers in Almighty. The problem started with a King Kartaviryarjuna, who was puffed up with Sacred Powers like Anima and Laghuma [ There are Eight Siddhis viz. Anima: ability to reduce size; Mahima : to magnify the size to the biggest; Garima:to make any thing  the heaviest; laghima:to make weightless; prakamyam:to realise anything desired; prapti: access to any where; vasitva: power to defeat; isitva: to secure supremacy]

He worshipped Lord Dattatreya and was blessed with one thousand hands.In fact, he was a terror to Ravana. He visited Sage Jamadagni’s hermitage once, was impressed with the Celestial Cow, Kamadhenu and asked the Sage to gift it, which was refused. In the abscence of the Sage at the hermitage the King’s men stole the cow and this infuriated the Sage as also Parasurama. The latter visited Kartaviryarjuna and in a fierce fight between the King and his men, Parasurama killed the powerful King. But in the abscence of Parasurama, Kartaviryuarjuna’s sons killed the Sage and the brothers of Parasurama, but the latter killed ten thousands of the sons and in that very frame of mind destroyed the entire clan of Kshatriyas or the Kings during some twenty one wars. In another incident, Renuka the mother of Parasurama reached a River for bathing and found a Gandharva King too bathing with his wives. She had a slight fascination of the Gandharva in her mind.This was noticed by Jamadagni and as she returned from the river-bed ordered her head to be chopped. Son Parasurama killed his mother with his axe instantly even as an evil- feeling of mind was felt  by her. Sage Jamadagni appreciated the spontaneous action and asked for  a boon to Parasurama and the latter requested that his mother and brothers be brought to life again. Such was the paternal devotion and fearlessness of Parasurama who re-established Dharma and valour. Reappearnce of Parasurama was prominently recognised in Ramayana, as Lord Rama won the hands of Sita Devi, after breaking the ‘Siva Dhanush’( Lord Siva’s own Bow) in a’Swayam Vara’- bride’s own choice of securing a husband. An egoistic Parasurama challenged Sri Rama (apparently to repose confidence in Public mind about Sri Rama) and retired after being humbled by the latter.