Parashurama – other stories In • gives the bow he received from to ’s father for her swayamvar. The test to determine the eligible groom for Sita was to lift and string the bow. After many suitors failed to even lift the bow, finally steps forward and lifts and strings the bow. He does it so strongly that the bow breaks. • When Parashurama hears the bow break, he comes to the scene very angry. The at the scene were asked not to confront the sage. Parashurama challenges Rama to a fight. • Sita approaches Parashurama and requests him to bless her with a long married life and he does so. • Rama addresses Parashurama politely and Parashurama sees his own subsequent in Rama. He blesses him and leaves to meditate in peace.

In • With – Bhishma, when a boy was a student of Parashurama. Many years later, , a princess angry at Bhishma seeks the help of Parashurama to kill Bhishma – The fight between the two warriors (Bhishma and Parashurama) lasts 23 days – Bhishma knows of a secret weapon that can put his adversary to sleep – Celestial Gods beg Bhishma not to use it against his teacher (Parashurama) as it will humiliate the teacher – The Pitrs (spirits of the departed ancestors – , father of Parashurama) came to Parashurama and advised him not to fight with Kshatriyas ever again – Parashurama accepts the advise and tells Amba he cannot kill Bhishma as he is a great warrior and that she should seek his protection too – Bhishma seeks the blessings of his teacher (Parashurama)

Also in Mahabharata • With – Drona, a poor comes to Parashurama for a gift – By that time, Parashurama had gifted away all his possessions and was getting ready for Sanyasa – He offers his life or his weapons to Drona for which Drona accepts the weapons and the skills to use them. With these newly acquired skills, Drona becomes and expert in warfare • With – Karna, the boy raised by a Charioteer considers himself a brahmin because he does not know his true ancestory – He seeks to learn the art of war but Drona refuses because he says he will teach only kshatriyas – Karna approaches Parashurama who agrees to teach him thinking he is a brahmin – One day when Parashurama was sleeping in the forest with his head on Karna’s lap, a scorpion crawls up the boy lap and stings him – Not wanting to wake his teacher, the boy does not stir. But the sting starts to bleed and trickles down Karna’s lap to the teacher’s face. This wakes Parashurama up. – Parashurama knows that only a can bear that pain and feels he was deceived by Karna and curses him so he will forget the most important fighting skill when he needs it most – Karna later on during the war was killed by when he forgets the Brhamasastra Other stories • Fight with and breaking his tusk – Parashurama meditated on Shiva and obtained the divine axe, , with whose help he waged wars against all kshatriyas killing most of them. – Deeply indebted to Shiva for giving him the axe with which he killed the kshatriyas, he came to Mount Kailas (Shiva’s house) to pay respects to his mentor. – Ganesh, who was guarding the entrance to his father's chambers, would not let Parashurama in, saying he had to wait till he obtained Shiva's permission. Parashurama felt that he, a devotee, needed no permission. – When Ganesha refused to give in, Parashurama, who gets angry very quickly, struck Ganesh's tusk with his axe and broke it. – Shiva and appeared before him and scolded Parashurama for behaving angrily – Parashurama then worshipped Ganesh and obtained his forgiveness and blessings