PARASURAM A BRAMHIN OR KSHATRIYA ?

PARASHURAM, A BRAMHANA WARRIOR

Parashurama, is one of the 22 Incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the youngest son of Sage Jamadagni and his wife Renuka, and other sons were Rumanvantha, Sushena, Vashu, Vishwavasu, his actual name is Rama, but he is called as Bhargava Rama by the name of his grandfather Bhrigu Maharshi.

Bhargava Rama's attitude, valor and aggressive nature differentiate him from other people of his Bramhana clan, click here to know why he behaves like a Kshatriya being a brahmin and the Relation between Parashurama and Sage Vishwamitra. 

Parashurama blessed by Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu

Once he did a severe Penance on Himavath Mountain by which Lord Shiva got impressed and gave him his Parashu [Axe] and ordered to use it only for Dharma, After receiving the Parashuvu [axe] he always used to hold it wherever he go, by which he got the name of Parashurama. 

When Demons [Asuras] attacked Devas [Suras] then once again Lord Shiva called Parashurama and asked him to fight in the battle, for which Shiva said that he will get into him and give him the complete knowledge of Dhanurvedam, by which Parashurama helped the Devas to win the battle.

After sometime, He desired to have Lord Sri Krishna's Darshan, form of Vishnu, [It is said that, In a Goloka, Lord Vishnu and Maha Lakshmi will always recite in the form of Krishna and Radha], and went to Sage Agasthya Ashram, and got Upadesham of Srikrishna Stotram, by chanting and meditating on it, Lord Krishna got impressed and appeared in front of him and ready to give him a boon but Parashurama refused to recieve any boon because he only wished to see him in that form. Sri Krishna willingly gave him the boon that he will get into him and perform accordingly when required, and he will only realize and get stable after meeting his another Incarnation. He is the only one in whom both Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu has been entered.

[Also Read : Number Of People Died In The War Of Mahabharat / 18 Akshouhini Sena a Detailed Explanation ]

Parashurama slayed his Mother 

Once his mother Renuka devi as usual went to pond to get water for his husband to use in sacrificial practices and rituals and saw a Gandharva, who is enjoying the company of a women and for some time her mind has been diverted onto him, by losing her conscious, she returned late to the Ashram, then Sage Jamadagni, who can know anything by his powers refused to accept her as his wife further and out of furiosity, he ordered his sons to slay her mother's head, all the four sons had refused to do so as it is a sin, for which sage Jamadagni cursed them to live like the trees and animals [non humans] in the forest, then he ordered Parashurama to do the same and he immediately slayed her mother Renuka, then Sage Jamadagni got impressed, and also expressed his willingness to give any boon for which Parashurama asked his father to bring back his mother and brothers again to normal as before and also asked the boon of Immortality, being Chiranjeevi, and his father granted so. [So he is one of the 8 Chiranjeevis/Immortals].
In this case Parashurama clearly knows that his father is having ability to perform every abnormal activity by his spiritual powers, and also his mother will be ineligible in her place and only become pure again if he do so, it is clearly mentioned  by the translator of Epic Mahabharat that no one should do the same, even if said by his father or anyone and that is a big sin and the above is an exceptional case.

Parashurama and Karthaveeryarjuna

One day, when Parashurama was away from his ashram to get some Dharbas [grass, used in daily rituals] and fruits, then Karthaveeryarjuna, King of Mahishmathi Kingdom, also known as Sahasra Bahu, one who is having Thousand arms and who is a great devotee of Lord Dattaathreya, with his army came across the Ashram of Sage Jamadagni and ordered to provide a meal for him and his army, then Sage immediately arranged feast by asking the  Kamadhenu, [the divine and miraculous cow, which gives him the daily requirements of spiritual and sacrificial activities], to produce the food by which he honored the king, after that the King who was surprised by knowing the magical powers of the cow, ordered his soldiers to take the cow along them, and not even asked the sage out of his arrogance and pride of his powers. 
Parashurama returned home and after knowing about the Kamadhenu which is taken away by a king, then he enraged and immediately went to the king and fought alone and killed the army [Akshouhini Sena's] of king Karthaveeryarjuna, then started a wonderful war between them. Karthaveeryarjuna  started shooting five hundred arrows from five hundred Bows simultaneously with his Thousand arms onto him, Parashurama slayed his Thousand hands and killed him.

Then after he went to pilgrimages around the world by the order of his father because of his sins and then returned home.

[Also Read : Time As Per Indian Scriptures ]

Parashurama conquered the earth by defeating all the Kshatriyas

The sons of Karthaveeryarjuna, in order to take revenge, killed Sage Jamadagni, when Parashurama was away from the ashram, after seeing her husband Renuka shrieked and called Bhargava Rama Twenty one times, he after coming back and came to know everything, he vowed to kill each and every Kshatriya's, who were humiliating people and abusing there powers out of arrogance and by losing their sense. He conquered the world by killing each and every Kshatriya by 21 times going around the world, being a Bramhana. 
Only few Vamshas of Kshatriyas have been left by him at that time. 
He made 5 lakes by filling the blood of all the Kshatriyas called Shamanth Panchak  in the place of Kurukshetra and performed Pithru Karya. By the advise of his Pithru devathas he again went to pilgrimage around the world.

After that he performed the Ashwa Medha Yaga and gave the whole earth as donation to Kashyapa maharshi, who is only eligible to receive the earth as donation, because he is the father/creator of whole species on the earth [all jeevas] 
After giving the earth as donation, he went to the mountain named Sahyadri, near to Samudra and asked Samudra Dev to give him some space by going back, then by the advice of Samudra Dev he threwed his axe which is left by Samudra Dev for him by moving backward, which is now the place of Kerala.

Even today, it is said that he will visit Mahendragiri mountain every chathurdasi, the fourteenth day of every month.

Dronacharya, who was very poor at that time, asked Parashurama to give something as donation and he received the Dhanurvidya by which he became the teacher of Pandavas and Kauravas.
Parashurama is also the teacher or guru of great warriors Bhishmacharya and Karna in Mahabharat.

[Also Read : Law Of Karma As Per Bhagavad Gita ]

Parashurama defeated by Lord Rama

At the time of marriage of Lord Rama, Parashurama, by knowing that Rama lifted and broke the Bow of Lord Shiva [Shiva Dhanasu] then he appeared there, enraged and said that I heard you have broke the Shiva Dhanasu, Now I challenge you to Fix this arrow upon this sacred bow called Vishnu Chapam/Dhanusu, which is passed on by his grandfather Sage Ruchika to his father and then to him, both being sacred Bows and therefore being more powerful. Lord Rama immediately took the Bow and easily fixed the arrow to the Bow and said that being a sacred Bow it has to be offered anything valuable, Parashurama then understood that he is in front of the other incarnation of Lord Vishnu as said by Lord Krishna and realized that his purpose has been completed, and he asked Rama to finish his punya phalas with the arrow and he went back to Mahendragiri Mountain by losing all his powers then by the order of his pithrus he went to Vadhusara nadi [river] and by a holy dip in it he got back all the punya phalas and started to do meditation being stable.
He is said to be one of the Saptha Rushi's in the upcoming Yugas.