2014 PARASHURAMA JAYANTI

SREE PARSHURAM JAYANTI
AKSHAYA TRITIYA, 2014

http://astrobix.com - Two days ago, on 1st May, Thursday, Parshuram Jayanti was celebrated throughout India. Lord Parshuram was born on Vaishakh Shukla Tritiya which is why this day is celebrated as Lord Parshuram Jayanti. Parshuram is known to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He was the son of Raja Prasenjit’s daughter Renuka and Bhrigu dynasty’s Jamdagni. Parshuram was devoted to Lord Shiva. 
The day of his birth is celebrated as Parshuram Jayanti all over India with a lot of zeal and excitement. A Parshuram Shobha Yatra is organized on this day along with other Havans, Pujas, Bhandaras, etc. Originally, his name was Ram. But, he came to be known as Parshuram because of the mystical weapon called Parshu which as given to him by Lord Shiva. Parshuram is believed to be Lord Vishnu’s sixth incarnation.

Observing fasts and other religious works have been the trademarks of this day for centuries. According to beliefs, he defeated Kshatriyas a number of times. He was born to free the world of Kshatriyas’ pride. Parshuram was taught by Dronacharya. He was the fifth son of Jamdagni and Renuka. He had four elder brothers : Rumanvant, Sushen, Vishwa and Vishwavasu. 
Parshuram has immense knowledge and was a great warrior. He wanted to live for the benefit of mankind. Parshuram had immense energy and was a great human being. Parshuram always helped the ones in need and was just in every decision he took. 
The day of Parshuram’s birth, i.e, Akshaya Tritiya is important in its own way. This day is considered to be auspicious, therefore any auspicious work done on this day gives fruitful results.

Parashurama Jayanti is celebrated as birth anniversary of sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Parasurama Jayanti usually falls on the same day as Akshaya Tritiya, which is considered one of the most auspicious days of the Hindu calendar. The purpose of this sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu is to relieve the Earth's burden by exterminating the sinful, destructive and irreligious monarchs that pillaged its resources and neglected their duties as kings. Parasurama, also known as the "axe-wielding Rama," was born into a Brahmin or priestly family but had the immense physical power and killer instinct than a Kshatriya or the warrior class. Subhamoy Das, who writes in "About.com Hinduism", explains that the birthday of Parasurama or "Parasurama Jayanti" is an important festival for the Brahmins or the priest caste of the Hindus as he was born a Brahmin. On this day, people worship Parasurama and observe a ritual fast in his honor. Srila Prabhupada has taught us that the ksatriyas, or the ruling class, must govern the world in accordance with the rules and regulations enacted by great brāhmanas and saintly persons. If the government is not guided by conscious men of God in the people's unhappiness. As soon as the ruling class becomes irresponsible in regard to the religious principles, it becomes a burden on the earth; and as in previous eras the ruling class, who was degraded to the modes of passion and ignorance, was killed twenty-one consecutive times by the brāhmanas, headed by Paraśurāma, similarly, the Supreme Lord arbitrate the means to remove the pride and vanity of evil rulers and protect His devotees. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Lord Parasurama is the sixth avatara of the Dasavatara. Of the twenty-five lila-avataras, Bhargava Parasurama is the nineteenth. In the Sri Caitanya-caritamrita, Madhya-lila 20.246 Anubhashya commentary of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakura, Parasurama has been enumerated as one of the saktyavesa-avataras (a descent of the Lord’s extraordinary power). Parasurama is the manifested form of the power to suppress miscreants. ... The character and activities of Parasurama have been described in the Santi and Vana Parvas of the Mahabharata. … (and) in the Vishnu, Matsya and Kalika Puranas as well as Sahyadrikhanda. ... In the Bhakti-ratnakara of Sri Narahari Chakravarti Thakura, Parasurama’s residence is mentioned as being in Kamyakavana (one of the twelve forests of Vraja-mandala). It also mentions that Mahaprabhu set His lotus feet at the birthplace of Parasurama in Renuka village at Agravana, just before His arrival at Gokula (Vraja-mandala), during his travelling from Prayag.

Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Mahārāja :
“Dasavatara - The Ten Manifestations of God”
Chapter 6: “Sri Parasurama-avatara”
Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math - www.sreecgmath.org

Published by dasavatara das - “Vedic Views on World News”
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/