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1. Birth of Parashuraam
2. Parashuraam and Sahastraarjun, Parahuraam and Ganesh Jee
3. Parashuraam and Others - Raam, Lakshman, Ambaa, Bheshm, Karn
4. Other Incidents of His Life
5. Parashuraam's Temples

In Maanas
In Maanas this incident is described in a very elaborated way. It is called "Parashuraam - Lakshman Dialog". We meet Parashuraam Jee in Baal Kaand  when Raam had broken Shiv Jee's bow in Janak Puree to marry Seetaa. He entered Janak's court in a great rage and asked "Who has broken my Shiv's bow?" Raam kept quiet but Lakshman did not, He talked to him in a very liberal way. Once Lakshman said - "We have broken many bows in our childhood, but you have never been so angry with us, now what? Why are you so angry on breaking of this old bow?" Parashuraam Jee said - "O fool, You don't know, this is not that type of bow. This is Shiv Jee's bow."

Both had very hot arguments. Then in the end Raam had to intervene - "Whoever has broken the bow, He must have been one of your servants only. So please forgive Him." But Parashuraam Jee was adamant, he said - "If you have broken this bow then try my bow also, if you can pull its string." Raam agreed. But as Parashuraam Jee was to give his bow to Raam, he was surprised to see that it went to Him itself. Then Parashuraam Jee knew that He was Raam, Vishnu's Avataar. He bowed to Him and went away after blessing Him. [He knew that his Avataar period was at end, so he went to Mahendra Parvat to do Tap.]

In Raamaayan
In Raamaayan we meet him also in Baal Kaand, but at the time when Dasharath Jee was coming back to Ayodhyaa after marrying his four sons to the four daughters of Janak family. Then on the way they met him. Dasharath got frightened seeing him, because everybody knew about his anger towards Kshatriya, and Dasharath never wanted any trouble from him at this time.

Besides Parashuraam Jee was the enemy of Kshatriya, so Dasharath was scared lest he kills any of his sons. Dasharath Jee said - "Please spare the lives of my sons, because you have abandoned killing Kshatriya and now live on Mahendra Parvat, after donating Prithvi to Kashyap Jee. Why are you angry to destroy me? Because if Raam will be killed, nobody will remain alive among us."

But Parashuraam Jee didn't pay any attention to Dasharath and said to Raam - "Whichever two great bows Vishwaamitra Jee built with great labor, you have already broken one of them, that was Shiv Jee's bow. But this bow's string cannot be pulled by everybody. This is Vaishnav bow, it kills enemies. Vishnu got it from Devtaa and it is like Shiv's bow. Vishnu gave this bow to Richeek Muni,  my grandfather, he gave to his son - Maharshi Jamadagni (my father), and my father gave it to me. If you are able to pull its string then I will fight with you."

Raam said - "Whatever you did, you did right, but you are insulting me being Kshatriya and considering me weak, so test my bravery and might. I can annihilate all opponents with this. Tell Me whether I should destroy all the planets that you have acquired by your penance or if I should arrest your movement in the sky?" Becoming totally powerless and bewildered, Parashuraam Jee said - "I have given the whole earth in charity to Kashyap Rishi. Since then, I do not stay on the Earth at night. Therefore, please do not stop my movement in the sky. You may destroy all the planets acquired by my penance.” Shree Raam  then destroyed all the planets acquired by Parashuraam. After being worshipped in this way by Raam, Parashuraam Jee set off for Mahendra Mountain.

In the Bhakti Ratnaakar of Shree Narahari Chakravartee Öhakura, Parashuraam’s residence is mentioned as being in Kasmyak Van (Kaamyak Van is 1 of the 12 forests of Vraj Mandal). It also mentions that Mahaaprabhu set his lotus feet at the birthplace of Parashuraam in Renuka village at Agra Van, just before His arrival at Gokul (Vraj Mandal), during his traveling from Prayaag.

Then Raam pulled the string of Jaamdagnikaa named bow of Parashuraam Jee. Raam again said - "You are Braahman that is why you are respectable to us, besides you are the nephew (sister's son) of our Guru Vishwaamitra Jee, that is also why we respect you, but this is my intent to destroy your power to go to any Lok got by Tapasyaa. This arrow is Divine and destroys all pride."

Parashuraam in Mahaabhaarat

In Mahaabhaarat
Once a mention of Parashuraam's name comes in Mahaabhaarat, when Paandav go to Teerth Yaatraa with Lomash Muni while Arjun is away to Swarg to obtain Divine weapons. It is in reference of regaining his powers at a certain Teerth by bathing in it, as he had lost them after meeting Raam. This story told by Lomash Muni is quite different from the above two stories appeared in Maanas and Raamaayan. He says that when Parasuraam heard that Parashuraam went to Ayodhyaa to test Raam's prowess, just for curiosity sake. He took along a very powerful bow with him for this test. When he reached there, Raam welcomed him and Parashuraam asked Him to string the bow. Raam said to him - "You have no right to insult me like this." and strung the bow. I give you Divine sight and see my real form." Parashuraam Jee then saw many Aaditya, Vasu, Saadhya, Gandharv, mountains, rivers etc etc in His body. Still he gave Him his arrow and asked Him to place it on the bow string and draw it to His ear. As Raam shot the arrow, Prithvi trembled and filled with broken meteors, dust storms etc. Seeing this Parashuraam lost his senses. When he regained his senses, he bowed to Raam and commanded by Him he went to Mahendra Parvat. After a year when his ancestors saw him without energy and grace, they said to him - "You should have not behaved with Raam like this. He is Vishnu and is respectable for all of us. But now you can go to Vadhusar river and bath in all Teerth over it." Then Parashuraam Jee came to Vadhusar Teerth and regained his lost powers. Thus this story presents quite a different account of Parashuraam and Raam meeting.
[From  MBH, G-4-Van/17]

Parashuraam, Ambaa and Bheeshm
In Bheeshm's times, there was a king of Kaasheee who had three daughters - Ambaa, Ambikaa and Ambaalikaa. Kaashee King did not invite Kaurav princes in his daughters Swayamvar. His Minister explained him too, but he did not listen to him. Bheeshm felt insulted, so he came and declaring that he was taking the three princesses for his half-brother Vichitraveerya, if anybody wanted to fight with for them, he could come forward and take those princesses from him. Since Bheeshm was invincible, nobody dared to come forward to face him and he took all of them from the Swayamvar. Now the eldest sister Ambaa loved Shaalv Prince and wanted to marry him, but because of Bheeshm's fear could not declare it. Shaalv Prince also loved her, so he came to face Bheeshm but got defeated badly.

When Ambaa had come to Hastinaapur, she appealed to Satyavatee that since she loved Shaalv Prince, she could not marry Vichitraveerya. All agreed and she was sent back to Shaalv Prince with respect. But Shaalv prince refused to accept her on the basis that he did not accept any lost thing (as he had already lost her to Bheeshm). She came back to Hastinaapur and told her whole story and blamed Bheeshm for all this. Vichitraveerya asked her what she wanted now. She told that she wanted to marry Bheeshm. But Bheeshm was vow-bound. he could never marry her, at this she got very angry and said - "You have insulted me that is why I will be the cause of your death whether I will have as many births as needed." And she went away from there.

Now Ambaa had to take revenge from Bheeshm so she went to her maternal grandfather Hotravaahan to help her in punishing Bheeshm because he did not marry her. Hotravaahan suggested her to go to Parashuraam as he was Bheeshm's Guru and he could not have disobeyed his Guru. So Ambaa went to Parashuraam Jee and told him her problem. Parashuraam Jee did not know anything about Bheeshm's vow and the real case of Ambaa, so he said - "Yes, You are right, if he has brought you from the Swayamvar he should have married you. Let me see, how he does not marry you?"

He called Bheeshm and asked him to marry her. Although Bheeshm explained him the real situation, still he did not listen to him and challenged him to fight with him. Both fought for 23 days. It was a long and equal combat between the two, as Parashuraam was immortal and Bheeshm had Ichchhaa Mrityu Var from his father Shaantanu so there was no way that they could easily settle their battle without quitting. So Parashuraam Jee said to Ambaa - "I have done all I could, now you leave yourself on the mercy of Bheeshm."

Parashuraam and Krishn
When Krishn finished His education in Guru Saandeepan's Gurukul, He called Parashuraam Jee to handover His Chakra (Divine disc) to Him as He was entering in that phase of His life in which He had to do lot many greater jobs than eating butter, playing flute and killing Raakshas. So Parashuraam Jee came and handed over His Chakra saying - "I took retirement in Raam's period after handing over the Vishwa bow to Him and went to Van, but it doesn't mean that Kshatriya can do all kinds of brutalities and we keep silence. Take your Chakra and do whatever you like." He went away after handing over His Chakra to Him.

Parashuraam Jee and Karn
See   "Parashuraam Jee and Karn";    and    Karn and Parashuraam;     and     Parashuraam's Shaap to Karn

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