Bhagwan Parshuram : Eternal Warrior Against Adharma

Today is Bhagwan Parshuram Jayanti.  Bhagwan Parshuram Jayanti is on Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya, in the noon with Simhalagna. Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya means the third day of bright fortnight in the Hindu Lunar month of Vaishakha.  

Bhagwan Parshuram is the incarnation or Avtar of Lord Vishnu. He is the son of Renuka and Jamadagni Maharshi. Bhagwan Parshuram has learnt the Dhanurvidya – Archery from Lord Shiva and has become the greatest warrior of this world.
Original name of Bhagwan Parshuram is Ram but as he has used the weapon Parashu to kill the Adharmi people, his name has become Parshuram.  According to Purana stories, Parshuram is Chiranjiv which means immortal and he always helps the helpless.

The stories of Bhagwan Parshuram are very famous. So today, I am not going to repeat them here, instead as usual I wish to share what I have realized from the life and work of Bhagwan Parshuram.

Bhagwan Parshuram is thought as Bhagwan of Brahmin community which is supposed as upper caste in India from the time when divide and rule policy was implemented in India. So, by limiting Bhagwan Bhargav Ram as the Bhagwan of Brahmins, it has become easy for the Anti Hindu forces to ignite the caste base hatred and divisions in the society. Unfortunately, many of our brothers and sisters become victim of this conspiracy of divide and rule and start hating Bhagwan Parshuram.

If we study the stories of different Avtar of Bhagwan Vishnu, we can easily note the common thing behind all the Avtar is to save the mankind from some Asura or Daitya – or some Adharmi who was the threat to mankind before that  Avtar and it was impossible for anybody to kill him.  So, the ‘Purpose of Avtar’ and the ‘Situation- The reason’ for which Bhagwan has to take human form or some other form like Kurm or Matsya is important. E.g. in Kurma avatar, the need was to come in the form of Kurm rather than Human. Let’s take example of Nrusimh Avtar. Hiranyakashipu had the Vara or Blessing that he cannot be killed by human or animal, so to respect the Vara, Bhagwan came in the form of Nrushimha who had head of Lion and Body of Human, so he was neither human nor animal. Can we limit these avtaras for any particular community? No. Then, why do represent Bhagwan Parshuram as the Bhagwan of Brahmins and enemy of Kshatriays?

Bhagwan is the supreme power and Bhagwan actually doesn't need to take any form or Avtar but these are Bhagwan’s leela which tell us how to live the ideal life, how to fight against injustice.

Let’s discuss the spiritual and Dharmik aspect. According to the rules of Namasadhana – chanting the name of Lord, it’s a greatest sin to compare the power of Bhagwan’s different names and to tell the people about superiority or inferiority about different names. Bhagwan’s names are as powerful as Bhagwan. Then, isn’t this the greatest sin to compare Bhagwan’s Avtar and limit them in the caste differences? Everybody who is thinking that Bhagwan Parshuram is Bhagwan of Brahmins only and the enemy of Kshatriyas should think on this question again and again.

Second point here is limiting the Bhagwan is not the concept of Hinduism. Bhagwan is always Supreme power and is always everywhere. So the Sakar avtar of Bhagwan is also the Supreme Power and loves everybody equally without any hatred or division based caste, religion. 

By the discussion so far, I hope the readers will see the work of Bhagwan Parshuram in the broader context of Humanity and Dharma.

We all know that the war of Bhagwan Parshuram against Kshtariyas started from a simple looking issue. Sahasrarjuna first tried to buy the cow which was refused by Maharshi Jamadagni as cow can't be sold. Then Sahasrrarjuna took the Kamadhenu of Jamadagni Maharshi forcefully.  When Bhagwan Parshuram came to know about this, he became angry and tried to bring back the cow. Sahasrarjuna didn't give the cow, the war started and Sahasrarjuna was killed in the war by Bhagwan Parshuram. To take the revenge, Sahasrarjuna’s sons killed Jamadagni Maharshi when he was alone in the home, helpless and when Ram was not with him to save him. Maa Renuka also left the life as she couldn’t live without her Husband.  From this incident Bhagwan Ram started a war against Kshatriyas and made this earth free from Kshantriya twenty one times. Finally when he met Bhagwan Ramchandraji, he stopped the wars and Bhagwan Vishnu again started his work in the Avtar of Bhagwan Ram.

This is the story what we have heard everywhere. Let’s discuss different aspects of this story one by one.

First question is why did Bhagwan Parshuram get angry on just a cow’s issue, especially when Rishi Jamadagni was ready to forgive Arjuna? Cow is always worshiped in Bharat, cow is not just an animal for us and stealing of cow is equal to stealing of a child. Secondly, Sahasrarjuna took cow forcefully, which reflected a feeling of a ruler who wish to do anything and according to him, it should be justified just because he has power, no one can go against him. A rishi is a non violent unarmed person, what he can do against the powerful ruler? So, I think, this feeling must be the reason of the anger of Parshurama. Sahasrarjuna was not ready to give the Kamdhenu which again shows that he was ready to do Adharma just because he was the king. If that injustice would not be stopped, it was possible that all the kings would start doing more and more Adharma and would start torturing the helpless and unarmed people. This must be the situation at that time because after the death of Sahasrarjun his sons who were mad in their power of kingdom killed the Father of Parshuram. If they wouldn’t be punished, they would continue this torture on others too ( not just Brahmins.)

Parshuram used to love his parents and his devotion and his anger against the Adharma made him start the wars against all the Kshatriyas who were Adharmi. This is the point to be understood, Parshuram didn't kill every Kshatriya king. According to stories from Ramayana King Dasharath, King Janaka were ruling happily, with Dharma and they have worshiped Bhagwa Parshuram and Bhagwan Parshuram has also blessed them. So the anger of Bhagwan Parshuram was against the Adharma and Adharmi only not the against the Kshatriaya Kings who were following Dharma and taking care of the people like the father.

The duty of the ruler is to love the people like his children. Ruler should always protect the citizens, but if the ruler starts torturing people then the non violent people can’t stay silent and they can teach the lesson to the Adharmi and powerful leader.  This is the Dharma.  This is the teaching of Bhagwan Parshuram.  Compare the above story with the current situation in our country and then the anger of Parshuram will be easy to understand.  The ruler, who killed Rishi, could kill anybody, any weak person. This is not the issue of the caste.  By the wars against Adharmi Kshatriya (as they were the rulers at that time) Bhagwan Parshuram has worked for the Dharma and for the justice for innocent people.

The story of Bhagwan Parshuram is found in Mahabharata also. Amba was shattered by the injustice done by Bhishma, she wished to kill him for the justice. Bhagwan Parshurama helped her in her problem and had a war with Bhishma. The maternal grandfather of Amba Rajarshi Hotravahan was good friend of Bhagwan Parshuram. Hotravahan was a Kshatriya. So, representing Bhagwan Parshuram as the enemy of Kshatriya is false.

I have realized that Bhagwan Parshuram is the warrior against the Adharmi and he is the inspiration to all of us to fight against the injustice, the Adharma and the Adharmi. Bhagwan Parshuram gives the inspiration, to help the weaker people selflessly, this is the true Dharma. Staying silent against the Adharami for the sake of Ahimsa is itself Adharma as such Ahimsa makes the Adharmi stronger and the Adharmi increases his brutality to destroy innocent people.

I bow to Bhagwan Parshuram and pray him to give me strength to fight against Adharma.  We all should forget the differences and should not see the Bhagwan in the limits of Castes.  

May this Parshuram Jayanti fill our lives with the divinity, with the love and devotion for parents and with the strength to fight against the Adharma and Adharmi. Jai Parashuram.  

P.S.: King Sahasrarjuna was also a great devotee of Lord Dattatreya. He had the blessing that he will die in the war and that too by Bhagwan only, according his wish. So, he did Adharma to steal the Kamadhenu and by which he was killed by Bhagwan Parashurama. The above article is written to explain the reasons of wars and anger of Bhagwan Parashurama. 

Please feel free to share your thoughts on this article and the vision discussed here.

The above article is available in Marathi too on Vicharyadnya. Please click the link below.

Bhagwan Parashuram : Adharamaviruddhacha Chiranjeev Dharmyoddha