پرسورام parsūrām परशुराम S̱. n. prop. The sixth Avatār, descent upon earth or incarna- tion of Vish̤ṇu. This personage was the son of Jamadagni. He is, from his father, called Jāmadagni: and, the deity descended in this form to destroy the Kshatriyas (or Chh̤atrīs) who were become tyrannical. Renukā, wife of Jamadagni, was interrupted in bringing water from the river by Kārtavīrjārjuna, a prince of the Kshatriyas, who was sporting in the water with his thousand wives; for which Parasu- rāmaʼs father, Jamadagni, cursed him. The Kshatriya prince killed Jamadagni; and Jāma- dagni vowed not to leave a Kshatriya on the face of the earth. He is reported to have ex- tirpated them twenty one times; the women with child each time producing a new race: and, they say that there have been no Ksha- triyas since; those so called being of spurious breed, or Varṇasankars.
