Brahmarishi Parasurama

Other names: Bhargava Rama; Parashurama; Rama Jamadagnya. Son of Jamadagni and Renuka of the Bhargava line, he is the axe-bearing Brahmin-warrior famed for defeating Kartavirya Arjuna and the Haihayas. Tradition also remembers him as a great master of celestial weapons and as a teacher of later Kshatriya heroes such as Bhishma.

“Then the mighty son of Jamadagni began to hurl celestial weapons at me, all of which I repelled, desirous of achieving mightier feats, O thou of strong arms, with-my weapons. And loud was the din that then arose in the welkin all around. At that time, I hurled at Rama the weapon named Vayavya p. 352 which Rama neutralised, O Bharata, by the weapon called Guhyaka. Then I applied, with proper mantras, the weapon called Agneya but the lord Rama neutralised that weapon of mine by one (of his) called Varuna. And it was in this way that I neutralised the celestial weapons of Rama, and that chastiser of foes, Rama also, endued with great energy and acquainted with celestial weapons, neutralised the weapons shot by me. Then, O monarch, that best of Brahmanas, the mighty son of Jamadagni, filled with wrath, suddenly wheeling to my right, pierced me in the breast. At this, O best of the Bharatas, I swooned on my best of cars. And beholding me, reft of consciousness, my charioteer quickly bore me away from the field.” – The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva: Uluka Dutagamana Parva: Section CLXXXIII
“Baffling those fierce darts by means of my shield and sword, and causing them in that combat to fall down on the ground, I then, with clouds of excellent arrows, covered Rama’s excellent steeds and his charioteer. Then that high-souled smiter of the lord of the Haihayas, 1 beholding those darts of mine equipped with golddecked handles and resembling snakes emerged out of their holes, and filled with wrath at the sight, had recourse once more to celestial weapons! Then swarms of fierce arrows, looking like flights of locusts fell upon me and overwhelmed me, my steeds, my charioteer, and my car! Indeed, O king, my car, horses, and charioteer, were covered all over with those arrows! And the yoke, shaft, wheels, and the wheel-spokes of my car, overwhelmed with that arrowy shower, at once broke. After that arrowy shower, however, was over, I also covered my preceptor with a thick shower of arrows. Thereupon, that mass of Brahmic merit, mangled with that arrowy downpour, began to bleed copiously, and continuously. Indeed, like Rama afflicted with my clouds of arrows, I too was densely pierced with his arrows.” – The Mahabharata, Book 5: Udyoga Parva: Uluka Dutagamana Parva: Section CLXXXIV