Parshuram
Chapter 6.4 of Acharya Hemachandra's Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra (Lives of Sixty-Three Great Men), titled Subhūma-cakravartin-caritra, narrates the life story and rise to power of Subhūma, the eighth universal monarch (cakravartin) in the Jain tradition. The chapter's central theme is a narrative of revenge against Parshuram, which differs significantly from the well-known Hindu Puranic accounts.
Summary of the Chapter
The Subhūma-cakravartin-caritra details the dramatic conflict between the Brahmin warrior-sage Parshuram and the Kshatriya prince Subhūma, a story that establishes Subhūma as a cakravartin. [1]
The Context of Conflict: The story begins with Parshuram killing King Sahasrarjun (Subhūma's father), who is generally identified with the Haihaya king Kārtavīrya Arjuna. [1]
Subhūma's Birth and Upbringing: The pregnant queen of Sahasrarjun successfully flees the capital and takes shelter in a sage's ashram. She eventually gives birth to a son, whom she names Subhūma. The boy is raised and taught all the skills and knowledge required of a prince. [1]
The Quest for Revenge: Once Subhūma is older, his mother reveals the truth about his parentage and the assassination of his father by Parshuram. Angered by this revelation, Subhūma resolves to take revenge. [1]
The Battle and Ascension: Subhūma, with the help of his friends and a newly formed army, challenges Parshuram, who is ruling from the former capital. A battle ensues, resulting in the killing of Parshuram by Subhūma. [1][2]
Establishment as Cakravartin: By avenging his father's death and defeating the powerful Parshuram, Subhūma establishes himself as the eighth Cakravartin (world-emperor). Some accounts note that he also defeated 21 families of Brahmins in the process. [1][2]
Description of the Characters
Subhūma (Subhoum)
In the Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra, Subhūma is presented as:
The Eighth Cakravartin: He is recognized in Jain cosmology as the eighth of the twelve mythical universal emperors (cakravartins) who rule the world. [1]
The Avenging Prince: He is the son of the slain King Sahasrarjun. Raised in exile but trained as a warrior, his defining act is a successful vendetta against his father's killer. [1]
The Kshatriya Victor: His victory over Parshuram, a Brahmin figure known for his repeated massacres of Kshatriyas in the Hindu tradition, symbolically restores the prestige of the Kshatriya class and establishes a new world order under his rule. [1][2]
Parshuram (Parashuram)
In this specific Jain narrative, Parshuram is portrayed as:
The Antagonist: He is the villain of the story, having murdered the father of the future Cakravartin. [1]
The Oppressor: He is characterized as a powerful figure who killed the Kshatriya king Sahasrarjun and was ruling tyrannically, thus requiring a hero like Subhūma to challenge him. [1]
The Defeated Foe: Unlike his status as an immortal sage (Chiranjivi) in some Hindu texts, in the Jain version of the narrative, Parshuram is ultimately defeated and killed by King Subhūma, marking the end of his rule. [1][2]
Comments
Post a Comment