Hindu Gods & Goddesses

Home > Hindu Gods > Parasuramavataram - Maha Vishnu as an angered brahmin out to destroy Kshatriya Vamsam

Parasurama avataram was to convey to the world, that one must always respect one's fathers words.
He was the last son of Jamadakni Rishi and Renuka Devi and was named Raman. Pleased with his severe thapas, Lord Siva gave him a weapon called Parasu. Raman thus came to be called Parasuraman.

Parasurama's mother had deep respect and devotion for her husband and worshipped him as her Lord. So pure was her devotion that each day she would go to the river bed and pick up a handful of sand and this would form into a pot. She would be able to fill water in this unfired pot and take it to her husband for his daily pooja.

One such day, as she took up a handful of river sand, she saw the reflection of a handsome gandharva in the water and she looked up in admiration. This was a step down in her sincerity and she lost the ability to create a pot of the river sand. Sage Jamadakni realised through his Gnana Drishti of the happenings and ordered his sons to kill their mother. His sons refused to do so, claiming their mother was even greater than God to them. Parasuraman had gone away on a tour of holy places to atone his sin of killing Karthavirian, a powerful king. When he heard of his father's orders he immediately chopped off his mother's head to do his duty to his father. Rishi Jamadkni was overjoyed by his obedience and was willing to grant him any boon. Parasuraman asked for the life of his mother and brothers and also that they have no memory of the happenings. Jamadakni rishi granted him his wishes.
(There is a belief that it is only Renuka Devi who is worshipped as Mariamman, Mundakakanniamman. In the temples for these Ammans, the moola vigraham is only the head placed on a pedestal.)