Parasurama

Parasurama

Once there was a sage called Jamathagni who was famous for his devotion and duty to the God and was doing penance and meditation towards God. He had a wife called Renuka and four sons, the last of which is Parasurama. Parasurama was a devoted son and was an exponent in Vedhas and martial arts and nobody could defeat him. He was an avatar of Lord Vishnu.

Jamathagni used to do pooja (worship)  everyday with water which was fetched in a freshly made earthen pot and his wife Renuka could do it because of her chastity and devotion to her husband and used to make it with fresh earth everyday. 

One day when Renuka went to fetch water   she saw a Gandharva and was so much fascinated by his looks and handsome features she could not make the pot of fresh earth. She went in trying but could not make it. So she was delayed and was in deep consternation. Sage Jamathagni could visualize this by his extraordinary powers and hence wanted his wife to be punished and asked his first son to go and behead his mother as she had lost her chastity.

This boy refused to kill his mother and then the sage in anger cursed him to die. Then he asked the second and third sons in that order to kill his wife and they also refused to kill her and got cursed and died.

Now sage Jamathagni asked Parasurama, the youngest son to go and kill his wife. Parasuraama readily agreed to kill her and went and beheaded his mother. The sage was very happy and asked Parasurama to ask for any boon and Parasurama without hesitation asked for the restoration to life of his brothers and mother.

Jamathagni readily agreed to this and brought back to life his wife and three sons and accepted his wife back.

Parasurama was Lord Vishnu himself and reincarnated as Parasurama.