|| Indian Mythology:: Doubts & Discussions || - Page 2

Debipriya

Agree w/ everything else you wrote, except that Wikipedia should be taken w/ a pinch of salt.

visirom

1. The reason Parashuram was born was that Bhumi Devi was overburdened by kshatriyas, particularly Kartavirya Arjuna, and wanted to be relieved of a lot of them. That's why Vishnu took birth. In the ACK you mention, they describe how Parashuram's grandma & mother switched potions that were meant for each other, and as a result, Parashuram's uncle was destined to be an ascetic, despite being a kshatriya, while Parashuram, despite being a brahmin, became a warrior.

Anyway, the fight started when Kartavirya Arjuna wanted Jamadagni's calf, and stole it @ night, in response to which Parashuram killed him. Kartavirya's sons in return killed Jamadagni, and Parashuram over retaliated, wiping out 7 generations of kshatriyas b4 Kashyap called on him to stop and exiled him from earth.

2. Yeah, his father once tested him on his loyalty by ordering him to do that. He unquestioningly did it, and his father told him that since his brothers had refused, he had cursed them to go mad. Parashuram then asked for her to be revived and his brothers to be cured when his father offered him a boon.

3. In Sita's swayamvar, the accounts vary. In Valmiki, Parashuram did not go to the swayamvar, but accosted Dasharath when the baraat was returning to Ayodhya, and that was where Rama accepted his challenge to string Vishnu's bow. C Rajagopalacharya commented that this was where Vishnu's incarnation ceased to be in Parashuram, and started in Rama. In Tulsidas, they mention that Parashuram went to the swayamvar itself after Rama broke the bow - this is what they showed in both the RS and AS Ramayans.

Personally, I don't like Parashuram much, given his behavior was the ultimate 'guilt by association' - b'cos one kshatriya family murdered his father, he retaliated by wiping out 21 generations of ksatriyas. He also made Dronacharya the most lethal Brahmin in history (aside from himself) and was indirectly the reason the entire Pandava army was wiped out (most of the warriors killed in Kurukshetra on the Pandava side were killed by Drona and Ashwatthama) I'm thankful that he's not as widely worshipped as is Rama or Krishna. Also, whereas Rama and Krishna remained avatars until they returned to Vaikunta-dham, Parashuram ceased to be an avatar after his meeting w/ Rama, if not earlier - he's immortal, but not an avatar any more.

In the ACK which visrom cited, Parashuram indiscriminately slaughtered innocent kshatriyas as well, ending up in total lawlessness, and Bhoomi Devi approached Kashyap asking him to stop Parashuram. That was when he intervened and put some very stringent conditions on Parashuram. I don't know ACK's source, but I doubt they'd have manufactured something that damning, unless it wasn't actually there in the originals.

I personally have a dim view of both Parashuram and Vamana: Vamana was basically out to cheat Bali, who unlike other asuras/rakshashas like Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu, Ravan, Tarakasura, Surapadman, Mahishashur, et al was not a tyrant, and only went to war w/ the Devas b'cos Indra had murdered his father for no reason but envy. Aside from that, I like Narasimha, Varaha, Kurma (not Mohini 😆) and Matsya.

Originally posted by: _Vrish_

Vamana was basically out to cheat Bali, who unlike other asuras/rakshashas like Hiranyaksha, Hiranyakashipu, Ravan, Tarakasura, Surapadman, Mahishashur, et al was not a tyrant, and only went to war w/ the Devas b'cos Indra had murdered his father for no reason but envy. Aside from that, I like Narasimha, Varaha, Kurma (not Mohini 😆) and Matsya.

^ Yeah, I also like Vaman avatar. Bali was not completely innocent and he was out to get the throne of Indra so that the Danavas could rule the Devas, which would eventually result in Adharma ruling Dharma. Vishnu could never let that happen, so I can see complete justification in Vaman Avatar.

Originally posted by: JanakiRaghunath

^ Yeah, I also like Vaman avatar. Bali was not completely innocent and he was out to get the throne of Indra so that the Danavas could rule the Devas, which would eventually result in Adharma ruling Dharma. Vishnu could never let that happen, so I can see complete justification in Vaman Avatar.

It is Parashuram's avatar in which I cannot see justification, and I still find it hard to believe Vishnu could have slaughtered innocent humans, esp since Ram and Krishna avatars were all about the protection of innocent beings. It doesn't make sense.

Originally posted by: jaisiyaram

I am not sure but should we compare parshuram's killing kshatriyas and Krishna's allowing yadavs to kill themselves on a same scale?? As parshuram killed kshatriyas due to revenge and kshatriya's involvement in adharma's activities (I am not sure If I used the right word..).. at the same time Krishna wasn't happy with yadavs seeing them very proud on their strength and he actually pushed them to fight..so that society of yadavs can be demolished..

please comment and correct me if I am wrong somewhere..

Originally posted by: JanakiRaghunath

Hmm, I don't think we can compare them like that, because first off in Parashuram's case, it is unfair and biased to generalize all kshatriyas as sinners. That is the same thing as putting down one particular caste and Lord Vishnu, as displayed both in Ram and Krishna avatars, gave importance to all castes and never unfairly differentiated people. So Parashuram did kill innocent Kshatriyas, and that is the aspect I find hard to justify.

As for Shri Krishna and the Yadavas, Krishna needed a way in which to remove them from Earth, because no one in the world had the power to kill the Yadavas and they eventually had to leave Earth after Krishna Avatar, because no being can be immortal and there would be no use for them to continue on to Kali Yuga. Also, the Yadavas were all incarnations of Devtas, so they needed to return to their divine abode. If no one had the power to kill the Yadavas, how were they to leave Earth? So Krishna divised a plan where they killed each other. He personally never slaughtered them, they only slaughtered each other. So Krishna cannot be held directly accountable for that.

Interesting comparison though...

I am back to the Dasha Avtar book again. In that again it was mentioned that the Yadavs had become vain and proud of their own powers, also because they felt they had Krishna with them they could do anything. Therefore they started destroying each other.