Parashurama

Parashurama

Paraśurāma is the sixth avatar of Vishnu — the Brahmin-warrior, son of sage Jamadagni and Renuka. He is credited with reclaiming the entire Konkan and Malabar coast from the sea — he cast his axe from the Western Ghats, and the sea retreated, creating the land.

Paraśurāma's kṣatriya-cleansing — he swore to exterminate all kṣatriyas in retribution for his father's murder by Kārtavīrya Arjuna. He fulfilled this vow 21 times, slaying every warrior he could find. Only when the earth was nearly depopulated did his grandfather Rucika persuade him to cease. He then created a new land, reclaimed from the sea — the Sapta Konkan from Saurashtra to Kanyakumari — and populated it with new Brahmin communities. He is said to still reside in the Western Ghats, immortal. Chiranjivi (eternally living) and in some traditions will hand the Kalki avatar his axe.