Meaning of Paraśurāma Story

महाभरत

Mahābharata

As retold by

Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

Commentary

The character and activities of Paraśurāma have been described in the Śanti and Vana Parvas of the Mahabharata. In Bhagavad-gita, (10.31) Kṛṣṇa identifies himself with Paraśurāma, saying, 

  rāmaḥ śastra-bhṛtām aham. 

                   "Rāma among weapons-bearers, am I." 

This may refer to Rāmachandra, who belongs to a former age, but since the Gīta is spoken around the time of the Kurukṣetra war, according to  the version of Viśvanātha Cakravarti, Rāma refers to Paraśurāma, the greatest weapons-bearer of the Mahabharata era. Paraśurāma is often considered a śaktyaveṣa-avatar, or an "empowered" avatar. Paraśurāma was empowered to do away with tyranny when the earth was overburdened with the weight of militaristic kings. We can see the destruction of despotism as a result of divine intervention. He was given divine weapons to finish the tyranny of the warrior class.

The story of Paraśurāma is difficult for us to interpret, living so many centuries after the Kurukṣetra war. In layman's language, brahmaṇas are the intellectual, philosophical class, where kṣatriyas are the warrior or political class. Long ago there was a rivalry between the brahmaṇas  and the  kṣatriyas and in the story of Paraśurāma, the kṣatriyas are punished for their tyranny.

The intellectual class is often oppressed by the political class for speaking truth to power. 

Still, the story raises some interesting questions. For example, did Renuka deserve a death sentence for her imaginary adultery? Why did Jamadagni ask his sons to kill his wife? How is it possible that Paraśurāma filled so many lakes with their blood? The stories of Mahabharata have many hidden meanings that may remain mysteries if we don't have the proper tools of interpretation.

A Great Book like Mahabharata doesn't always answer all the questions posed by the stories it tells. 

Sometimes there are more questions than answers. We develop important tools for problem-solving by having the  curiosity to delve into deeper questions of interpretation.  

The inner meaning of these stories may sometimes be seen through meditation on their mysteries. 

I make no claim to understand all these mysteries. I am merely a story-teller. 

Stay tuned for the continuation of Mahabharata.