Parashuramavatar is 6th incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The purpose of this incarnation is to relieve the Earth's burden by exterminating the sinful, destructive and irreligious monarchs that pillaged its resources, and neglected their duties as kings. Ages ago several kings who had turned into evil beings because of their royal wealth, arrogance of power, and people's allegiance, ruled the world. They had posed a serious threat to the pious, religious and scholarly life-pursuit of those who wanted to lead a life of moral and social rectitude. At that time Vishnu had to incarnate to punish them and establish justice on earth. The story goes on like this.
A sage named Rucheeka married a princess Satyavati, daughter of King Gadhi belongs to Chandra vansh (Lunar Race). They had no children for some time. King Gadhi had only one daughter and no sons. One day Satyavati requested her husband to bless her and her mother that they might beget male children to perpetuate the lineage. Rucheeka gave them two fruits each and suggested to eat them such that Satyavati will get a son who will be a great sage and her mother will get a son who will be a valient royal hero. But Satyavati ate the fruit given to her mother and her mother ate the fruit given to Satyavati. Both became pregnant in due course. Rucheeka noticed a royal brightness in his wife's face and understood everything happened with his insight. He explained his wife about the mistake they did and told her that the result will be like Satyavati will get a son with royal characteristics and her mother will get a son with sage characteristics. Satyavati pleaded Rucheeka to grant her son to be a sage and grandson to be a valiant royal hero. Rucheeka blessed her accordingly. Rucheeka's son was Jamadagni who was a great sage and Parashurama was Jamadagni's youngest son of five with valient royal characteristics. Parashurama's mother was Renuka.
One day Renuka the devoted wife of Jamadagni had to get the Ganga water and proceeded to the river. At that time a 'Gandharva' (celestial being) named Chitraratha was enjoying a festive bath with his wives. Renuka was watching these activities for some time. She had been somewhat mesmerised and after a while awakened herself realising her duty. She rushed back to the hermitage. Jamadagni possessing supreme vision visualised the reason for his wife's delay and was angered at her. He called out his sons and ordered them to kill her. The children were shocked and they could not believe their own ears. They couldn't do what Jamadagni ordered them to. Parashurama came there after a while and Jamadagni asked his son to kill his mother and also the disobedient brothers. Parashurama did not hesitate even for a moment. Readily he raised his axe, chopped off his mother's head and later killed his brothers. Once Jamadagni was pacified, he was pleased with Parashurama's devotion and offered him a boon. Parashurama asked his father to forgive his mother and brothers and to revive them. Thus Parashurama saved his mother and brothers.
There was a king named Kritaveerya belonging to the Lunar Race. Born to him was Karthaveeryarjuna, who hands were use less. After Kritaveerya, princess Karthaveeryarjuna had to take royal duties but as he was not strong enough, he started worshipping Dattatreya taking his minister's suggestion. Soon Dattatreya satisfied with his devotion and granted him 1000 hands and blessed him invincibility. With this power he was able to defeat Lanka's demon Ravana also in a battle. Actually Karthaveeryarjuna was Lord Vishnu's Sudharshana Chakra who was feeling proud that Vishnu could defeat many demons by using him only. Vishnu wanted to teach him a lesson and made the chakra to be born as Karthaveeryarjuna. With his boon from Dattatreya, he was able to defeat anyone which made him arrogant in time.
Oneday Karthaveeryarjuna went for hunting. He and his minister approached Jamadagni's hermitage which was on the way. At that time Parashurama had gone to the woods to collect some. Jamadagni invited them for lunch to which Karthaveeryarjuna rejected smoothly by saying that he has too many soldiers with him to feed. Jamadagni assured him that he will feed them all. Surprised king wanted to test and called all of his soldiers for lunch. Jamadagni had a cow named Surabhi with him which is daughter of wish-fulfilling Kamadhenu. With the help of Surabhi, Jamadagni was able to feed all soldiers with good food. Karthaveeryarjuna was happy with the feast but bitten by joulous he asked Jamadagni to sell Surabhi to him to which Jamadagni had to refuse saying that it is like a daughter to him. But arrogant Karthaveeryarjuna took Surabhi with him forcely. On the way he saw Surabhi crying and felt sorry about what he did. Being a devotee of Dattatreya who likes cows, Karthaveeryarjuna shouldn't hurt a cow. So he felt bad and wanted to return Surabhi to Jamadagni. After returning home, Parashurama knew about what happened to Surabhi from his brothers and came running to Karthaveeryarjuna with an axe, bow and arrows. He killed all his soldiers in a fierce battle mercilessly. Finally Karthaveeryarjuna had to confront him as a king who shouldn't surrender. Parashurama axed down all of his 1000 hands and killed him.
Karthaveeryarjuna's sons were pining for vengeance. They were not capable to fight with Parashurama so they hatched a plan to kill Jamadagni during absence of Parashurama. They waited for Parashurama to go into forest to get woods and beheaded Jamadagni who was in deep meditation. Renuka frightened by witnessing all this and shouted to call Parashurama 21 times. Parashurama and his brothers came running after hearing their mother's cry. By then Karthaveeryarjuna's sons left already. Parashurama learnt from the inmates of ashram the details of the incidents and hurried to kill Karthaveeryarjuna's son with his axe. He butchered all of them with his axe. He was not pacified with this also. He traversed the earth 21 times and killed all arrogant kings. When he reached Ayodhya, King Dasaratha was disguised as a female by his three wives Koushalya, Sumithra, Kaikeyi to protect him. Parashurama spared him saying that he will fight only with men. To king Dasaratha only born Lord Rama who is 7th incarnation of Vishnu.
After killing all arrogant Kshathriyas (Kings), Parashurama conducted Ashwamedha to purify himself and donated all the land acquired to Brahmins. When he decided to build a hermitage for himself, a problem confronted him. He had given away all the land he had acquired. Now any plot upon which he settled down would mean his taking back the land he had donated, and it would be a wrongful act. To solve this, he requested king of ocean to leave some place for his hermitage. King of ocean asked him to throw his axe as far as he can and promised that he will give him land up to the spot where the axe hit the sea-waters. Parashurama threw his axe and got some land where he built his hermitage. This came to be known as 'Parashurama Srishti'.
Parashurama later appears in stories of Ramavatar and Mahabharath also. Some believes that he will be guru of Vishnu's 10th incarnation Kalki avatar.
One day Renuka the devoted wife of Jamadagni had to get the Ganga water and proceeded to the river. At that time a 'Gandharva' (celestial being) named Chitraratha was enjoying a festive bath with his wives. Renuka was watching these activities for some time. She had been somewhat mesmerised and after a while awakened herself realising her duty. She rushed back to the hermitage. Jamadagni possessing supreme vision visualised the reason for his wife's delay and was angered at her. He called out his sons and ordered them to kill her. The children were shocked and they could not believe their own ears. They couldn't do what Jamadagni ordered them to. Parashurama came there after a while and Jamadagni asked his son to kill his mother and also the disobedient brothers. Parashurama did not hesitate even for a moment. Readily he raised his axe, chopped off his mother's head and later killed his brothers. Once Jamadagni was pacified, he was pleased with Parashurama's devotion and offered him a boon. Parashurama asked his father to forgive his mother and brothers and to revive them. Thus Parashurama saved his mother and brothers.
Oneday Karthaveeryarjuna went for hunting. He and his minister approached Jamadagni's hermitage which was on the way. At that time Parashurama had gone to the woods to collect some. Jamadagni invited them for lunch to which Karthaveeryarjuna rejected smoothly by saying that he has too many soldiers with him to feed. Jamadagni assured him that he will feed them all. Surprised king wanted to test and called all of his soldiers for lunch. Jamadagni had a cow named Surabhi with him which is daughter of wish-fulfilling Kamadhenu. With the help of Surabhi, Jamadagni was able to feed all soldiers with good food. Karthaveeryarjuna was happy with the feast but bitten by joulous he asked Jamadagni to sell Surabhi to him to which Jamadagni had to refuse saying that it is like a daughter to him. But arrogant Karthaveeryarjuna took Surabhi with him forcely. On the way he saw Surabhi crying and felt sorry about what he did. Being a devotee of Dattatreya who likes cows, Karthaveeryarjuna shouldn't hurt a cow. So he felt bad and wanted to return Surabhi to Jamadagni. After returning home, Parashurama knew about what happened to Surabhi from his brothers and came running to Karthaveeryarjuna with an axe, bow and arrows. He killed all his soldiers in a fierce battle mercilessly. Finally Karthaveeryarjuna had to confront him as a king who shouldn't surrender. Parashurama axed down all of his 1000 hands and killed him.
After killing all arrogant Kshathriyas (Kings), Parashurama conducted Ashwamedha to purify himself and donated all the land acquired to Brahmins. When he decided to build a hermitage for himself, a problem confronted him. He had given away all the land he had acquired. Now any plot upon which he settled down would mean his taking back the land he had donated, and it would be a wrongful act. To solve this, he requested king of ocean to leave some place for his hermitage. King of ocean asked him to throw his axe as far as he can and promised that he will give him land up to the spot where the axe hit the sea-waters. Parashurama threw his axe and got some land where he built his hermitage. This came to be known as 'Parashurama Srishti'.
Parashurama later appears in stories of Ramavatar and Mahabharath also. Some believes that he will be guru of Vishnu's 10th incarnation Kalki avatar.
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