खण्डपरशु

{ khaṇḍaparaśu }

Puranic Encyclopaedia

KHAṆḌAPARAŚU   Śiva. A story occurs in [Mahābhārata] stating how Śiva got this name. The famous Dakṣa-yāga (sacrifice performed by Dakṣa) was performed at a time when the Nara Nārāyaṇas were engaged in penance in Badaryāśrama. Dakṣa did not invite his sonin-law Śiva. The angry Śiva sent his trident against Dakṣa. The trident destroyed the sacrifice of Dakṣa and then flew against the breast of Nārāyaṇa who was sitting in penance in Badaryāśrama. By the power of the trident the hair of Nārāyaṇa became of muñja (a grass) colour. From that day onwards Nārāyaṇa came to be known by the name Muñjakeśa. By a sound “hum”, the hermit Nārāyaṇa deviated the trident, which reached the hands of Śiva, who got angry and approached Nārāyaṇa to kill him. Nara, who was close by took an arrow and reciting spells over it, released it to kill Śiva. Immediately the arrow changed to an axe. Śiva broke the axe. After this the axe became the weapon of Śiva. in [Mahābhārata Śānti Parva, Chapter 49, Stanza 33] , it is mentioned that this axe was given to Paraśurāma the disciple of Śiva. Thenceforward Śiva got the name Khaṇḍaparaśu. (Paraśu means axe). [Mahābhārata, Śānti Parva, Chapter 343. Stanzas 150-59, 167] .

A Sanskrit English Dictionary

खण्ड—परशु  m.  m. ‘cutting (his foes) to pieces with an axe’, शिव

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खण्ड परशु

विष्णु, [Viṣṇ.]

Shabda-Sagara

खण्डपरशु  m.  ( -शुः) A name of SIVA.
E. खण्ड a part, and परशु a hatchet; cutting his foes to pieces.

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खण्ड परशु