Karthavirarjuna's sons got enraged at the killing of their father. In great great anger they rushed to Jamadagni'sashram. The sage was in the yogic pose. They fell on him and severed his head off and had their revenge.
Destruction of the arrogantParashurama was away in the forest collecting samith and flowers, when the barbarous act was commited by the princesback in the ashram. He was shocked beyond words when he saw the terrible scene. He had not even dreamed of such an end to his father. He was unconsolably sad. He felt repentent because he thought that his father met with that terriblefate on account of his killing king Karthvirarjuna. He was greatly pained when he thought that his father was butcheredas hunters butcher wild animals in jungles by hacking them to death. These thoughts plunged him deep into the oceanof sorrow."My father lived a righteous life. He did not even harm his enemies. He lead a chaste and righteouus life and why shouldhe suffer like this? Why did you meet with such ignominous death?
When you were in deep meditation, those barbarians attacked you and shot sorrows at you when you were in deep meditation,those barbarians attacked you and shot sorrows at you when you were not in a position to defend yourself. Those whocommited this crime deserve to be punished in the worst way possible." He wailed this way for a long time and thenconsoled himself and completed the last rites of his father.At the end of it he took a historic but a terrible decision. He swore, "I am going to destroy all the kings and princes in the world."
Parashurama assumed the role of the destroyer of the world. Then began the terrible sacrificial rite of the kings.Without delay, he collected his weapons and rushed to Mahishmathi. He killed all the sons of Karthavirarjuna. Manykings came to the help of the princes. All of them were butchered without mercy. Parashurama's anger did not subsideat that. He went round the world twenty one times, killed all the arrogant kings and princes without mercy and thuscleansed the world of all the bad elements.
As a result of those terrible killing expeditions, enormous amount of blood was shed and it is said that the blood thus shedwas collected in five pools and they came to be called 'Samantha Panchaka'. He gave tarpana to his pithrus with thisblood and his soul found peace at last. A great change came about in his approach to life. He became merciful and beganto show concern on all living beings. At that stage in his life he left for the forest and began to perform tapas.
Penitence for violence
Parashurama began to feel miserable when thought of the bloodshed he caused. He knew that he had done something whicha person born in the family of Brahmarishis should not have done. As all the kings had been killed, Parashurama wasthe master of the entire world, because there was no one to stake his claim to even an inch of land. In order to cleanse himself of his sins, he performed an Aswamedha Yaga. In order to successfully complete a yaga one has to givegifts profusely. Therefore Parashurama gifted away the land he had conquered , to sage Kashyapa. Sage Kshyapa whoreceived the gift had a doubt. He thought Parashurama might go on a rampage once again killing kings. Therefore heasked him to leave the land area he had gifted to him. He suggested to Parashurama to go to the south western part of the land and live there. Accordingly Parashurama went to the south and reached the western shore. He asked the king of the sea to grant him some land for him to live. The land thus gained by Parashurama came to be called 'Shoopanaraka'and also 'Aparanthaka Bhoomi'.
We know that Parashurama went round the worldl twenty one times destroying kings and princes. In the end he performed, as he has already been refered to an ashawamedha Yaga and gifted away the land he conquered, to sage Kashyapa andwent to the forest for doing penance. As there were no Kshtriyas on the face of the earth, bringing in Brahmins tofill the gap became imperative.
If a person who has been assigned certain duties by dharma, does it well, it is good for the world and for himself. Brahmins should study, aquire knowledge and teach it to the world. Kshatriyas have to rule over the land with thehelp of brahmins such as arrangement is good and beneficial to the world. Here it did not work how should they protectland against the bad elements? They did not have the physical power and skill to do so. They had sharp brains, butthey had not wielded weapons. Without that they could not defend their land against evil forces. As a result, as timepassed by, justicce bad deeds, astrocities raised their ugly heads and the rulers became powerless. Things which shouldnot have happened began to happen and normal life was thrown out of gear. Mother earth could not bear the weight of such sinfuldeeds and she bagan to sink into the nether world. Kshayapa came to know about the plight and he lifted the sinkingearth and placed on his lap. As the earth was lifted by the strength of Kshayapa's Uooru, mother earth came to becalled Uoorvi and she was also called Kshayapi as she happened to occupy the place of his daughter.