Who is Parshu-Raam
Parshu-Raam is a Brahmin warrior born to the sage Jamadagni and Renuka. He is the sixth incarnation of Bhagwaan Vishnu. At a time when many kings grew arrogant and neglected their duties, Parshu-Raam took the corrective measure. He took it upon himself to restore the balance. Every king on the earth who is not following the khyatriya dharma faced the wrath of Parshu-Ram. he is said to have rid the earth of tyrannical Kshatriyas not once, but twenty-one times.
The story of Parshu-Raam is there in Vishnu Purana. He also plays an important role in the Ramayana as well as in the Mahabharata. Over time, many authors have retold the story of Parshu-Raam, in their own unique way. The first book, I read about this immortal warrior was written by none other than K.M.Munshi. After that I came across the book titled “Aparajeya” written by Shyam Sundar Bhatt. Then I read “The Legend of Parshu-Raam” by Dr. Vineet Aggarwal. Each of these books presents a unique perspective and is highly recommended for people who love to know the different facets of Parshu-Raam.
The Birth of Parshu-Raam
Most of the people know the story of Parshu-Raam as the Brahmin warrior who freed the earth from tyrannical kings. But only a handful of people are aware of the story behind his birth. How his fate is inter-linked with that of sage Vishwamitra. And even a lesser population is aware of the story of the birth of Jamadagni. And these stories are highly essential to know when you start exploring the life of Parshu-Raam. This book covers all that and many more.
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal is very passionate about Hindu mythology and writing. I got a chance to read his first book, Vishwamitra by accident. I instantly fell in love with his story telling style; which is very informative and engaging. In the very next year, he pens down his second book, “The legend of Parshu-Raam”. Everyone who read Vishwamitra was curious to know about the other part of the story. The Legend of Parshu-Raam is a perfect sequel to that.
The Legend of Parshu-Raam
Parshu-Ram is often associated with rage and violence. But Vineet sketched his character in much detail. He beautifully portrayed the inner turmoil of the immortal warrior along with his compassionate nature, his love for animals and his quest for knowledge. The author’s command over the narrative is truly impressive.
The common assumption is, the stories needs to begin with the introduction of the lead character. So the reader might feel disappointed that here the lead hero appears after half the book is over. But it is not the criticism of the book; on the contrary, it’s the best part of the book. The story of Parshu-Raam does not begin with his birth! It started long before that. By presenting events in a chronological sequence, the author makes the plot easy to follow and more meaningful.
The main stream mythology hardly describes the character Kartavirya Arjun, the King with thousand arms. The author did a beautiful ground job in reimagining and recreating this character. He does not go by the traditional mythological ways and give a fair share of credit to this character. The writer also needs to be praised for the way; he depicts the characters like Ravana and Ruchik. And most importantly, I appreciate the way the author has presented the caste system issues of that period. Very impressive.
If you are a die-hard fan of mythology and fiction, this is an apt read for you. In all true sense, you can call it Pure-Perfect-Provocative.