Parshurama Jayanti

Parshurama Jayanti

April-May; third day of waxing half of Hindu month of VaisakhaAccording to Hindu mythology, it was Parashurama (Rama with an Ax) who destroyed the evil Kshatriya kings and princes 21 times, including the thousand-armed warrior, Arjuna. His birthday, Parashurama Jayanti, is therefore observed with fasting, austerities, and prayer. It is also a day to worship Lord Vishnu, of whom Parashurama is believed to be the sixth incarnation. To Hindus, Parashurama represents filial obedience, austerity, power, and brahmanic ideals.
Parashurama's story is told in the Mahabharata and in the Puranas, or Hindu epics. He also appears in the Ramayana, where he challenges Ramachandra, the seventh avatar or incarnation of Vishnu, to a test of strength. When it becomes apparent that he is losing, Parashurama pays homage to Ramachandra and retires to the Himalayas. The Malabar region on the southwest coast of India is believed to have been founded by Parashurama.
SOURCES:
DictFolkMyth-1984, p. 844
RelHolCal-2004, p. 168