Bhargava Rama

"This article deals with the historical aspects of Bhargava Rama. To know about the mythological aspects of Bhargava Rama and his role in Hinduism, see Parashurama."

Bhargava Rama was a Brahmin warrior in the lineage of Bhrigus. He was also known as Parasurama.

The Lineage

(Mahabharata, Book 1, Chapter 66) The illustrious Bhrigu was born from Brahman. The learned Sukra is Bhrigu’s son. The planet Sukra (Planet Venus) is named after him. He became the spiritual guide of both the Daityas (enemies of Gods) and the Devas (Gods). Bhrigu begot another excellent son. This was Chyavana. Arushi, the daughter of Manu, became the wife of Chyavana. And, on her was begotten Aurva of great reputation. Aurva begot Richika. And Richika begot Jamadagni. The high-souled Jamadagni had four sons. The youngest of them all was Rama (Parasurama).

Normally the occupation of Brahmins in India were that of teaching, priesthood, officiating of sacrifices, performing of penaces etc. But some of them were warriors. They also taught the science of warfare. The Bhrigus or Bhargavas were one among the warrior class of Bhrahmins. Their main weapon was battle-axe which in Sanskrit was known as "Parasu". Hence Bhargava Rama was popular in the name Parasu-Rama.

The conflict between Bhargavas and Kshatriyas

The Bhargavas headed by Parasu Rama was a threat to the Kshatriya Kings who ruled in India during Treta and Dwapara Yuga. The arrival of this warrior class Bhargavas to India, were some where around the transition period of Treta Yuga and Dwapara Yuga.

They have attacked and annihilated the existing Kshatria rulers of India, as many as 21 times, probably spanning a time period of a 1000 years. The rulers of central India were the major victims of this massacre. The first victim of Parasurama was a ruler of central India, of Haiheya tribe, called Kartavirya Arjuna. The Bhargavas and Kshatriyas were hostile to each other for this many years until they started living in harmony.

Evidence of the conflict spanning generations

Reflections of Aurva, the Grand-Grantfather of Parasurama ----> (Mahabharata, Book 1, Chapter 182) While lying unborn, I heard the doleful cries of my mother and other women of the Bhrigu race who were then being exterminated by the Kshatriyas. When those Kshatriyas began to exterminate the Bhrigus together with unborn children of their race, it was then that wrath filled my soul. My mother and the other women of our race, each in an advanced state of pregnancy, and my father, while terribly alarmed, found not in all the worlds a single protector. Then when the Bhrigu women found not a single protector, my mother held me in one of her thighs.

(Mahabharata, Book 13, Chapter 153) The mighty Kshatriya Talajangala was destroyed by a single Brahmana. viz., Aurva. (Mahabharata, Book 1, Chapter 2) In the interval between the Treta and Dwapara Yugas, Rama (the son of Jamadagni) great among all who have borne arms, urged by impatience of wrongs, repeatedly smote the noble race of Kshatriyas. And when that fiery meteor, by his own valour, annihilated the entire tribe of the Kshatriyas, he formed at Samanta-panchaka five lakes of blood.

(Mahabharata, Book 1, Chapter 64) The son of Jamadagni (Parasurama), after twenty-one times making the earth bereft of Kshatriyas wended to that best of mountains Mahendra and there began his ascetic penances. "Mahendra Mountains are in central India, the northern end of the Eastern Ghats of India, situated in the western part of Orissa." (Mahabharata, Book 1, Chapter 104) In olden days, Rama, the son of Jamadagni, in anger at the death of his father, slew with his battle axe the king of the Haihayas. " Haiheya was a central Indian kingdom in Madhya Pradesh of India, on the banks of Narmada river. Its capital was Mahishmati, the modern day town named Maheswar." (Mahabharata, Book 3, Chapter 85) One proceeds to Surparaka, where Jamadagni’s son (Parasurama) had formerly dwelt. "Surparaka also is in central India with the modern name Sopar."

(Mahabharata, Book 3, Chapter 115) Akritavrana (a disciple of Parasurama) said, ‘With pleasure shall I recite that excellent history, of the godlike deeds of Rama, the son of Jamadagni, who traced his origin to Bhrigu’s race. I shall also relate the achievements of the great ruler of the Haihaya tribe. That king, Arjuna by name, the mighty lord of the Haihaya tribe was killed by Rama. By the favour of Dattatreya he had a celestial car made of gold. (Mahabharata, Book 3, Chapter 117) Rama, the leader, thrice smote down all the Kashatriya followers of Kartavirya’s sons. And seven times did that powerful lord exterminate the military tribes of the earth.

The above shown extracts from Mahabharata shows the conflict between the Bhargavas and the Kshatriyas spanning at least for four generations.

Later life of Parasurama

In later life of Parasurama , he gave up violence, became an ascetic and practiced penaces, mainly on the Mahendra Mountains in East Central India. The territories he got from the Khsatriyas he slew, was distributed among a clan of Bhrahmins called the Kasyapas. They ruled these lands for many centuries. The kingdoms like Dravida, Karnata and Konkana were among them. Parasurama also retrieved from the sea a virgin-land which was a stretch of coastal-area to the west of Western Ghats of India, giving rise to the myth of Parasurama, saving and reclaiming a part of the land of Kerala from the sea. This happened in Surparaka Kingdom (Coastal Area of Southern Gujarat), from where the myth spread to Kerala, by migration. This land also was given to Brahmin rulers.

Multiple Parasuramas

There is clues in the Sanskrit literature, for speculating that there were many people in the past with the name of Parasurama. Parasurama, in Indian mythology is depicted as immortal. The epic Ramayana mentions about a Parasurama who encountered Ramachandra or Raghava Rama of Kosala. In Mahabharata we finds mention of Parasurama fighting with Bhishma; teaching military science to Drona as well as Karna. In Bhagavata Purana we find Parasurama encountering Krishna and Balarama. All these figures could be different personalities but having common traits. All of them could be members of Bhrigu family ie Bhargavas, and proficient in the use of battle-axe.

Many ancient figures like Vyasa, Vasistha,Gautama,Narada etc have this phenomenon of fusion of many people of the same name or family name, combining together into one personality, like a distant star in the sky in actuality happens to be a collection of two, five or hundreds of stars

See also

*Historic Figures of Ancient India

References

* [http://www.bhagwan-parashuram.com/ परशुराम महागाथा शोध ग्रंथ] by Dr D.R. Sharma
* Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa
* Ramayana of Valmiki
* Bhagwan Parshurama :Jayant Potdar