Parashurama Jayanti: Celebrating the Birth of Maharshi Parashurama

Parashurama was the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu and his birth anniversary is celebrated as Parshurama Jayanti. It falls on Tritiya (third day) of the Shukla Paksha in the month of Vaishakh. This day is also known as Akshaya Tritiya and the day is considered good to start or do anything auspicious. It believed that any puja performed on this day gives hundred times more results than other days and it is applicable for any kind of donation.

Parashurma came to destroy Earth’s burden and remove all kinds of evil existing. Fasting on this day is known to be very beneficial for everyone. This day has marked the start of the Golden era of the Hindu culture and is celebrated in all parts of India with joy and happiness. Lots of donation and Brahmin feeding is done on Parashurama Jayanti.

Parashurama Jayanti 2024 is on May 10 Friday

10 days to go for the event

Parashuram with his axe

Rituals of the Day

• Like all other festivals, it is good to take bath early in the morning and wear clean clothes for the puja ceremony.
• Puja ceremony includes worshipping Lord Vishnu’s idol or picture with good sweets, flowers, kumkum and chandan. Offering holy tulsi leaves is also considered auspicious.
• People fasting on this day are said to be blessed with a son and reborn to be a great human being. All over India, people start new businesses, marriages, and long journeys on this day.
• Only fruits and milk products should be eaten during fast and no cereals or pulses should not be eaten.

Important Timings On Parashurama Jayanti 2024

Unlike Lord Rama and Krishna, Parashurama is believed to be still living on Earth and is not worshipped. There is one holy place in Pajaka, where a temple exists that commemorates Parashurama, and there are few temples on the western coast of India. People are known to wait for Akshaya Trithiya to start any new ventures ever year.

Facts About Lord Parashurama

1. Lord Parashurama, the son of Renuka and saptarishi Sage Jamadagni, is the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu, was gifted the boon of immortality, making him one of the seven Chiranjivis of Hinduism.
2. After performing a terrible penance to please Lord Shiva, Lord Parashurama was rewarded an ax, or Parashu and was instructed in the martial arts. Lord Shiva gave him the boon of immortality.
3. As the mentor of Bhishma, Karna, Drona, and Rukmi, he secures an important role in the Mahabharata, and finds a mention in the Ramayana as well. Lord Parashurama is the most known for his grave revenge against Kartavirya for murdering his father, when Parashurama got this world rid of the kshatriyas twenty-one times.
4. According to the Mahabharata, Parashurama ordered Bhishma to marry Princess Amba, and Bhishma, who had vowed to embrace Brahmacharya, refused him. This enraged Parashurama, that they both broke into a battle which lasted for 23 days. Ganga’s attempt to stop them went in vein. Sage Narada intervened the fight when Bhishma was urged to use the deadly Prashwapastra against Parashurama, which would be destructive for the rest of the world. Parashurama ceased from fighting any further.
5. The myth goes that Kerala was formed by Parashurama when he threw his bloodstained ax into the sea from Gokarna to stop the land from submerging. The ax landed at Kanyakumari, and the land between Gokarna and Kanyakumari was then named as Kerala.
6. Following his victory over Kartavirya Arjuna, Lord Parashurama was greeted with esteem and praises, that Lord Indra gifted him his favorite bow Vijaya.
7. As said in the Ramayana, Lord Parashurama gave the Pinaka, Lord Shiva’s bow, to Sita’s father for her swayamwar. The bow broke into two when Lord Rama successfully strung it, producing a tremendous sound that woke Parashurama from his meditation at the top of the Mahendra Mountains.
8. According to Valmiki Ramayana, after Sita’s marriage to Lord Rama, Lord Parashurama threatened Lord Rama and provoked him to a duel. Lord Rama refused, saying he did not wish to kill a Brahmin.
9. In a rendition of Ramlilas played across India, it is known that Sita, despite the warnings of the kshatriyas, approached Sage Parashurama who was revolted and drowned in rage. He blessed her with a lifetime of blissful marriage, saying “Dheergha Sumangali Bhava.”
10. As mentioned in the Puranas, Lord Parashurama traveled the Himalayas to pay respects to Lord Shiva when he was stopped by Lord Ganesha. Lord Parashurama attacked him with his Parashu, which severed Lord Ganesha’s left tusk.
11. To terrify Suryadev from causing too much heat, Lord Parashurama shot several arrows to the sky. He asked his wife Dharani to fetch more arrows when he ran out of them, but Suryadev weakened her. Suryadev appeared before Parashurama and offered him with an umbrella and sandals.
12. As per the Nath traditions, Parashurama sought Dattatreya on Mount Gandhamadana. Their conversations were enlightened with the knowledge of scriptures and renunciation of earthly matters, thus eventually freeing Parashurama from the cycle of death and rebirth.
13. Parashurama and saptarishi Agastya are known as the founders of Kalaripayattu, ‘the mother of all martial arts.’
14. Towards the end of the Vedic period, Lord Parashurama had grown weary of all the bloodshed that he relinquished his weapons and possessions, and sought asceticism.
15. The Kalki Purana states that the Chiranjivi Lord Parashurama will emerge toward the end of the Kali Yug as the martial, spiritual guru of Kalki, the tenth avatar of Vishnu.

Parashurama Jayanti festival dates between 2020 & 2030

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