Paraśu
Paraśu, “the axe, the battle-axe”
Grammar: masculine noun: the axe.
Meaning: an axe, above all the battle-axe used as a weapon.
In the scriptures: hearing Jayā’s wailing, Parameśvara came and saw Satī fallen on the ground like a creeper cut by the blow of an axe. Later, when Vīrabhadra, lord of the gaṇas, drove at Dharma, Dharma took eight arms holding the khaḍga (sword), carma (shield), gadā (mace), prāsa (barbed lance), paraśu, aṅkuśa (goad), cāpa (bow) and mārgaṇa (arrows) (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 4).
The word in use:
- Among the divine weapons and ornaments the devas gave the Devī Kātyāyanī, Viśvakarmā gave her the paraśu (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 19).
- In the battle with Namara’s army, some asuras had their heads cut off by blows of the paraśu (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 21).
- Devī Pārvatī said: “A tree pierced by an arrow, a branch cut by the blow of an axe, can sprout again. But a wound made by harsh words spoken from the mouth does not heal again” (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 28).
- The asuras rained paraśus and other weapons on Devī Kātyāyanī; Rudra with the triśūla and Vināyaka with the paraśu killed many of them (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 30).
- Kalaśodara, one of Skanda’s gaṇas, took an axe and killed the great rākshasas (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 32).
- Vināyaka, of great might, holding a paraśu, clashed with Tuhaṇḍa, best of rākshasas (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 43).
- Prahlāda teaches Bali: “If one bows according to rule to Vaikuṇṭha, the cutter of the bonds of becoming, bearer of the sword and the paraśu, there is no rebirth” (Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapter 67).
- In Kaśyapa’s stotra, Khaṇḍaparaśu, “bearer of the axe”, is one of the names of the one Purushottama (Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 5).
Related terms: Khaḍga · Gadā · Prāsa · Parigha · Aṅkuśa
Sources
- Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapters 4, 19, 21, 28, 30, 32, 43, 67
- Vāmana Purāṇa, Saro Māhātmya, Chapter 5