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We know that Parashurama killed his mother Renuka on the command of his father Jamadagni as Pitruvakya Paripalana (following father's words obediently). After doing this, his father offered a boon. Due to his love towards his mother he asked for resurrection of his mother and brothers who refused followed Jamadagni's command.

However, this act of killing is still counted as a killing and killing mother is a great sin, did Parashurama perform any expiation for performing this act?

There is a recommendation from Prashurama's father sage Jamadagni in Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 9 chapter 15 to perform tapasya and pilgrimage to sacred places. But this is for atonement of killing a ruling emperor Kartavirya Arjuna and not for killing mother.

Is Parashurama's expiation for killing his mother mentioned in the Puranas or Itihasas?

Sarvabhouma
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  • However, this act of killing is still counted as a killing - pramana for this ? maybe it is, maybe it isn't.. "a solider kills on the order of the king. however, the killing is still counted as killing so the soldier must perform expiation" ? – ram Jun 16 '19 at 04:08
  • Do you mean to say killing a mother is not a sin? @ram – Sarvabhouma Jun 16 '19 at 04:09
  • Do you mean to say that killing a man on the battlefield is a sin ? – ram Jun 16 '19 at 04:10
  • This is not a battle field, Jamadagni is not a king. I am not asking about Parashurama killing Kshatriyas. I'm asking about his mother. Just killing some insects and micro organisms as a part of duty of a farmer is counted as a sin and expiation is mentioned for that too. But here it is mother who gave birth and who is equal to God himself. So, there is no expiation for that? Reply to your question, I definitely mean killing a man is a sin whether it is battlefield or somewhere else. Because he is a soldier and doing for a great cause, his sin will be reduced and given heaven for his cause. – Sarvabhouma Jun 16 '19 at 04:15
  • "I definitely mean killing a man is a sin whether it is battlefield or somewhere else" - what is the pramana for this ? sounds like is a blanket statement without scriptural backing. by that logic, i can say anything is a sin without considering circumstance. is the executioner who hangs a criminal committing a sin ? is something a sin if you're rewarded for it? that's like saying, 'charity is a sin, but since you're doing it to help someone, your punishment is reduced and you get heaven for it' – ram Jun 16 '19 at 04:23
  • I am considering circumstances too. What I asked in the question is getting side tracked. If your answer is "There is no sin for killing mother", then post it. If you want to discuss more, you can visit chat room. If you have pramana saying what I said is wrong, post it (but not as an answer). There are smriti statements about killing insects and doing expiation by giving rice grains to the poor. No one said/says charity is a sin. – Sarvabhouma Jun 16 '19 at 04:26
  • Shastras do say 'charity that's done to an improper recipient, at an improper time is a sin" - like giving money that you stole to a crook. There is rarely any universal statement for a sin (or good for that matter). it depends on circumstances. I did not saying 'killing mother is NOT a sin'. You are saying 'Killing mother IS a sin. What's the atonement for it'. I am saying 'You are making an assumption without considering circumstances. First ensure whether it is a sin or not before asking for follow up based on that assumption' – ram Jun 16 '19 at 04:33
  • Let us continue this discussion in chat. – Sarvabhouma Jun 16 '19 at 04:34
  • offcourse Parshuraama must had sin of killing mother. If one is making a decision on behalf of his dharma then he also has to accept result/consequences of his decision. For ex. Vishnu broke Satitva of Vrinda and Tulsi coz it was demad of Palankarna dharma of Vishnu. But Vishnu accept curse as result. He didn't say it was my dharma so I had no choice... NO He accept consequences and carry punishment given to him. But don't forget, sin washed away with penance, and Parshurama also did a lot penance. – Vishvam Jun 16 '19 at 05:26
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    @Rishabh, how do you know it was a sin ? Does a soldier who commits murder on battlefield on orders of his king commit a sin ? Parashurama did so on command of his father. His father also had a reason for ordering the punishment. The point is, we do not know whether it was sin or not, because circumstances need to be taken into account. – ram Jun 16 '19 at 05:56
  • @ram "how do you know it was a sin ?" Here is how.. Tadkasura got boon that he will be killed only by son of Shiva, hence kartikay was born to kill him. Tadkasura had taken over heaven and banished all devas from heaven. So to make his birth useful and to free make heaven, Kartikay killed Tadkasuar. Everyone will say killin him is just result of boon, so nothing wrong in it. But reality is.. [continue..] – Vishvam Jun 17 '19 at 03:51
  • @ram [..continue] But reality is..Tadkasura was Devotee of Shiva also. On that part Kartikay killed one of the devotee of Shiva which is sin. Hence his mental state becomes unbalanced untill after long time Vishnu told him that the reason of his grief was the sin which he committed by killing devotee of Shiva. So as prashchita Kartikay did vrata of Shiva to get rid of that sin. – Vishvam Jun 17 '19 at 03:52
  • @Rishabh, great, you have given pramana from scripture that what Skanda did was sin. now, give pramana from scripture that what Parashuram did was sin. – ram Jun 17 '19 at 04:07
  • @ram Don't have reference to show. I said sin coz if Kartikay can carry sin by killing demon (also devotee) then why Parshurama can't for killing his mother or ascetic/devotee? Killing for dharma is allowed but if that kill is of big devotee of any lord then you can't get rid of that sin without doing prashchita towards that Lord. This thought of my is based on learnings of Purana's stories. Wether my this learning is right or wrong, you are free to decide this :) Also Some says Raama also did prashchita of killing Ravana (not sure if true). – Vishvam Jun 17 '19 at 04:31
  • @Rishabh, again, you're making an assumption. I did not say that He did NOT commit sin. OP is saying that He DID commit sin. we don't know. if a policeman kills a criminal, is he committing sin ? what if, according to dharma, what parashuram did was not a sin.. again, we do not know. that's why I keep on saying 'don't assume it's a sin. first find out whether it's a sin or not, then we can talk about prayaschitta' – ram Jun 17 '19 at 05:04
  • @mar Manusmriti 4.162 - आचार्यं च प्रवक्तारं पितरं मातरं गुरुम् । न हिंस्याद् ब्राह्मणान् गाश्च सर्वांश्चैव तपस्विनः ॥ १६२ ॥ – Ikshvaku Aug 05 '22 at 15:30
  • @mar The Mahabharat also says the killing was sinful, for which Parashurama asked to be forgiven: sa vavre mātur utthānam asmṛtiṃ ca vadhasya vai | pāpena tena cāsparśaṃ bhrātṝṇāṃ prakṛtiṃ tathā || "He chose for his mother to be brought back to life and forget the killing, non-contact with that sin (for himself), and for his brothers to be brought back to life." Also, after WW2 and since the Geneva Conventions, soldiers are obligated to obey any unlawful or inhumane orders, like murdering innocent civilians. – Ikshvaku Aug 05 '22 at 15:58

1 Answers1

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After Killing his mother Renuka, Parasurama asked some of his wishes to his father. One of the wish is that he(Parasurama) might not be affected by any sin for killing his mother. Along with this wish, Parasurama's father Jamadagni granted all wishes asked by Parasurama. Thus Parasurama is unaffected by the sin for killing his mother and hence there is no need to perform expiation for killing his mother.

It can be clarified from the following passage of the Mahabharata

"Akritavrana said, '........... At that very moment came in the eldest of Jamadagni's sons, Rumanvan; and then, Sushena, and then, Vasu, and likewise, Viswavasu. And the mighty saint directed them all one by one to put an end to the life of their mother. They, however, were quite confounded and lost heart. And they could not utter a single word. Then he in ire cursed them. And on being cursed they lost their sense and suddenly became like inanimate objects, and comparable in conduct to beasts and birds. And then Rama, the slayer of hostile heroes, came to the hermitage, last of all. Him the mighty-armed Jamadagni, of great austerities, addressed, saying, 'Kill this wicked mother of thine, without compunction, O my son.' Thereupon Rama immediately took up an axe and therewith severed his mother's head. Then, O great king, the wrath of Jamadagni of mighty soul, was at once appeased; and well-pleased, he spake the following words, 'Thou hast, my boy, performed at my bidding this difficult task, being versed in virtue. Therefore, whatsoever wishes there may be in thy heart, I am ready to grant them all. Do thou ask me.' Thereupon Rama solicited that his mother might be restored to life, and that he might not be haunted by the remembrance of this cruel deed and that he might not be affected by any sin, and that his brothers might recover their former state, and that he might be unrivalled on the field of battle, and that he might obtain long life. And, O Bharata's son, Jamadagni, whose penances were the most rigid, granted all those desires of his son...'

[SECTION CXVI, Tirtha-yatra Parva, Vana Parva, The Mahabharata]

hanugm
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