Yadā yadā hi dharmasya glānir bhavati, Bhārata!
Abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṁ sṛijāmyaham
(Whenever there is a decline in righteousness and an increase in unrighteousness, O Arjun, at that time I manifest myself on earth.)
The above verse, from the Gita, is often quoted in public discourse to invoke the need for the descent of Vishnu to earth taking a mortal incarnation to restore order (dharma).
Parashurama (literal meaning: Rama with an axe) is the sixth incarnation of Vishnu, who appears in the Threta Yuga, after Vamana and followed by Rama. This incarnation was necessitated to rein in the rampaging Kshatriya King Kartavira Arjuna (Sahastrabahu, the one with a thousand arms) and his Haihaya clan.
Parashurama is an intriguing avatar with some unique features. He is a Brahma Kshatriya (a Brahmin by birth and a warrior), a chiranjeev (immortal) and the only incarnation of Vishnu who finds mention in both the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, crossing paths across yugas or epochs with both Krishna and Rama. His father, Jamadagni, one of the saptarishis (7 rishis annointed by Brahma to uphold dharma), orders him to slay his mother Renuka.
Blade of Fury by Ranjith Radhakrishnan is the second in the Parashurama trilogy. The first book, Rama of the Axe was reviewed in The Book Review in November 2023. In the author’s note at the end of the second book, Ranjith highlights his approach to writing about Parashurama after the feedback he received on the first book. At the outset he clarifies that he wanted to avoid writing Parashurama as a mere mortal who later came to be considered as an avatara. Taking creative liberties, which he is upfront in calling out, Radhakrishnan mentions that he has looked to explore Parashurama’s inner journey, giving the reader a peek into his mental turmoil after he destroys the formidable Kshatriya Empire.
Employing the visual technique of writing, Radhakrishnan draws the reader into Parashurama’s world. He shows Parashurama’s vulnerability, internal conflict, and the choice that he needs to make with the special powers that are bestowed on him. Blade of Fury oscillates between gruesome and frenetic action and calm introspection. The parallel theme of revenge against Parashurama that Kartavira Arjuna’s eldest son Jayadhvaja undertakes is stylistically written like an adventure drama. This part is interspersed with Parashurama’s interaction with sages on the meaning of dharma, which is presented in a dialogue format where he employs the rhetorical technique that relies on logic and metaphor.
The book will interest anyone interested in Hindu mythology.
Bharat Kidambi is a Bangalore-based entrepreneur.