Shri Parashurama Sahasranama Stotram: 1000 Names of the Bhargava Avatara
Shri Parashurama Sahasranama Stotram - Sanskrit Text (Verified Excerpt)
This is a sahasranama - a hymn of one thousand names. Because of its great length, the verified opening invocation, the dhyana (meditation) verses, the beginning of the names, and the closing phalashruti are reproduced below in full, with a clearly marked note where the body of the thousand names continues in the source.
श्रीगणेशाय नमः ।
पुरा दाशरथी रामः कृतोद्वाहः सबान्धवः ।
गच्छन्नयोध्यां राजेन्द्रः पितृमातृसुहृद् वृतः ॥१॥
ददर्श यान्तं मार्गेण क्षत्रियान्तकरं विभुम् ।
रामं तं भार्गवं दृष्ट्वाभितस्तुष्टाव राघवः ॥२॥
॥ अथ ध्यानम् ॥
शुद्धजाम्बूनदनिभं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मकम् ।
सर्वाभरणसंयुक्तं कृष्णाजिनधरं विभुम् ॥९॥
बाणचापौ च परशुमभयं च चतुर्भुजैः ।
प्रकोष्ठशोभि रुद्राक्षैर्दधानं भृगुनन्दनम् ॥१०॥
हेमयज्ञोपवीतं च स्निग्धस्मितमुखाम्बुजम् ।
दर्भाञ्चितकरं देवं क्षत्रियक्षयदीक्षितम् ॥११॥
श्रीवत्सवक्षसं रामं ध्यायेद्वै ब्रह्मचारिणम् ।
हृत्पुण्डरीकमध्यस्थं सनकाद्यैरभिष्टुतम् ॥१२॥
रेणुकाहृदयानन्दं भृगुवंशतपस्विनम् ।
क्षत्रियाणामन्तकं पूर्णं जामदग्न्यं नमाम्यहम् ॥१५॥
अव्यक्तव्यक्तरूपाय निर्गुणाय गुणात्मने ।
समस्तजगदाधारमूर्तये ब्रह्मणे नमः ॥१६॥
॥ श्रीपरशुराम द्वादश नामानि ॥
हरिः परशुधारी च रामश्च भृगुनन्दनः ।
एकवीरात्मजो विष्णुर्जामदग्न्यः प्रतापवान् ॥१७॥
[The thousand names of Parashurama (Jamadagnya) follow here in the source text - an extensive litany praising the Bhargava as Hari, Vishnu, the wielder of the axe (parashu), the son of Jamadagni and Renuka, the master of all weapons and Vedas, and the eternal Brahman. The full sahasranama is very long; the verified opening invocation, dhyana and phalashruti are reproduced here, with this note marking the body of the thousand names. Devotees chanting the complete sahasranama should follow a trusted printed edition.]
॥ फलश्रुतिः ॥
एवं नाम्नां सहस्रेण तुष्टाव भृगुवंशजम् ।
श्रीरामः पूजयामास प्रणिपातपुरःसरम् ॥१॥
भवेत्प्रातश्च मध्याह्नं सायं च जपतो हरेः ।
नामानि ध्यायतो राम सान्निध्यं च हरेर्भवेत् ॥१९॥
न भवेच्च कुले तस्य कश्चिल्लक्ष्मीविवर्जितः ।
वरदो भार्गवस्तस्य लभते च सतां गतिम् ॥२१॥
॥ इति श्रीअग्निपुराणे दाशरथिरामप्रोक्तं श्रीपरशुरामसहस्रनामस्तोत्रं सम्पूर्णम् ॥
श्रीभार्गवार्पणमस्तु । श्रीरस्तु ॥
Transliteration (Roman/IAST)
śuddha-jāmbūnada-nibhaṃ brahma-viṣṇu-śivātmakam |
sarvābharaṇa-saṃyuktaṃ kṛṣṇājina-dharaṃ vibhum ||9||
reṇukā-hṛdayānandaṃ bhṛgu-vaṃśa-tapasvinam |
kṣatriyāṇām-antakaṃ pūrṇaṃ jāmadagnyaṃ namāmy-aham ||15||
hariḥ paraśu-dhārī ca rāmaśca bhṛgu-nandanaḥ |
eka-vīrātmajo viṣṇur-jāmadagnyaḥ pratāpavān ||17||
(These verses transliterate the dhyana and the opening of the names. The thousand names themselves are extensive; chant from a trusted edition for the full text.)
Meaning
The stotra is framed as a hymn that Shri Rama (the son of Dasharatha) sang in praise of Parashurama (the son of Jamadagni), when the two met on Rama's return to Ayodhya. The dhyana verses ask the devotee to meditate on Parashurama as one shining like pure gold, embodying Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, four-armed, bearing bow, arrows, the axe (parashu) and the gesture of fearlessness, wearing a deerskin and rudraksha, with the golden sacred thread and a gentle smile, marked by the Shrivatsa, the ever-celibate ascetic seated in the lotus of the heart, radiant as a thousand suns. He is hailed as the delight of Renuka's heart, the ascetic of the Bhargava line, the ender of the unrighteous kshatriyas, the formless-yet-manifest Brahman, the support of all the worlds. Then follow the thousand names - Hari, the axe-wielder (Parashudhari), Rama, son of Bhrigu's line, son of Renuka (Ekavira), Vishnu, Jamadagnya the mighty, and many more. The phalashruti declares that one who recites and meditates on these names morning, noon and evening gains the very presence of Hari; that copying the text and gifting it to devotees on the solstices and equinoxes frees one from bondage; and that no one in the reciter's family is ever bereft of Lakshmi - the boon-giving Bhargava grants them the path of the noble.
About this Stotra
The Shri Parashurama Sahasranama Stotram is the thousand-name hymn of Parashurama, the sixth avatara of Vishnu - the warrior-sage born to the rishi Jamadagni and Renuka in the lineage of Bhrigu. The text comes from the Agni Purana and is presented as the praise offered by Shri Rama himself to Parashurama. Sahasranama stotras (Vishnu, Lalita, Shiva and others) are a major genre of Hindu devotional literature: a thousand names, each a window onto an aspect of the deity, strung into shloka-metre and framed by a dhyana at the start and a phalashruti at the end, together with viniyoga and nyasa for ritual recitation. As an avatara who is both Brahmin sage and Kshatriya-quelling warrior, Parashurama is unique, and his sahasranama praises him simultaneously as the supreme Vishnu, the master of all weapons and the Vedas, the perfect tapasvin, and the eternal Brahman. He is also revered as a Chiranjivi - one of the immortals believed to live until the end of the age.
Significance & Spiritual Benefits
Reciting a sahasranama is held to be among the most meritorious of devotional practices, since every name is a seed of meditation on the divine. The phalashruti of this stotra promises the abiding presence (sannidhya) of Hari to one who chants and contemplates the names at the three junctions of the day, and assures the reciter's whole family of unfailing Lakshmi (prosperity) and the gati (destiny) of the righteous. Because Parashurama embodies both spiritual power (tapas) and martial valour, his names are invoked for courage, victory over adversaries, protection of dharma, the destroying of arrogance and injustice, and the steadfast strength to uphold one's duty. Devotees also turn to him as a guru-figure; he is the teacher of Bhishma, Drona and Karna - for mastery, discipline and skill.
Astrological Relevance
As an avatara of Vishnu, Parashurama strengthens the benefic graces in a chart and is invoked for overall protection and dharmic strength. His distinctly martial, fiery character - the warrior who wields the axe and twenty-one times subdued the unrighteous - links him in jyotisha with Mangala (Mars), the karaka of courage, energy, weapons, land, brothers and the warrior spirit. Those with an afflicted or weak Mars (lack of drive, conflicts, accidents, Mangal/Kuja dosha) may invoke Parashurama for valour and the right channelling of aggression toward dharma. His towering tapas and Brahmin sagehood also connect him with Guru (Jupiter) - wisdom, the Vedas, and the role of teacher - making the stotra supportive where Jupiter is weak or where one seeks a guru's grace and learning. His status as a Chiranjivi (immortal) resonates with longevity concerns of the 8th house and the Mrityunjaya theme. The phalashruti's explicit promise of unbroken Lakshmi ties the hymn to the 2nd and 11th houses of wealth and gains.
How to Chant (Vidhi)
The stotra includes a viniyoga and kara-/hridaya-nyasa, indicating it is meant for formal recitation. After bathing, sit facing east before an image of Parashurama or Vishnu, light a lamp, and perform the nyasa if known. Recite ॐ and the dhyana verse, then chant the names with attention, concluding with the phalashruti and "Shri Bhargavarpanamastu" (let this be offered to the Bhargava). The phalashruti recommends recitation at the three sandhyas (dawn, noon, dusk) and special merit in copying and gifting the text on the solstices and equinoxes. For the complete thousand names, follow a reliable printed edition; the verified opening, dhyana and phalashruti above frame the practice.
Best Day & Time
Akshaya Tritiya - celebrated as Parashurama Jayanti, his birth anniversary (Vaishakha Shukla Tritiya) - is the most auspicious day. Tuesday, the day of Mars (Mangala), suits his warrior nature, and the three daily sandhyas (dawn, midday, dusk) are recommended by the text itself. The solstices (ayana) and equinoxes (vishuva) carry special merit for writing and gifting the stotra.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Parashurama and why a thousand names?
Parashurama is the sixth avatara of Vishnu - the axe-wielding warrior-sage born to Jamadagni and Renuka in the Bhrigu line, who restored dharma by humbling the arrogant kshatriyas. A sahasranama (thousand names) hymn praises each facet of his being, from supreme Vishnu and Brahman to master of weapons, perfect ascetic and immortal Chiranjivi.
Why is the full Sanskrit text shown only in part here?
Because a sahasranama contains one thousand names and is extremely long, this article reproduces the verified opening invocation, the dhyana verses, the beginning of the names and the full phalashruti, with a clear note where the body of the names continues. For complete recitation, use a trusted printed edition.
What does the phalashruti promise?
It promises that one who recites and meditates on the names at dawn, noon and dusk gains the abiding presence of Hari, and that no one in the reciter's family will ever lack Lakshmi (prosperity); the boon-giving Bhargava grants them the destiny of the righteous.
The sixth avatara's thousand names and their warrior-sage resonance
The Parashurama Sahasranama from the Agni Purana occupies a singular place among Vaishnava hymns because the praise flows from Rama, the seventh avatara, to Parashurama, the sixth - a devotional reversal that carries its own theological weight. Parashurama, the axe-bearing Bhargava, embodies a quality of fierce, uncompromising dharma: he is the avatara who arose specifically to correct cosmic imbalance through warrior-energy wielded in the service of righteousness. Reciting his thousand names is traditionally understood as invoking not merely a historical figure but a living principle - the capacity for disciplined, decisive action in the defence of the sacred.
In the Jyotish tradition, Parashurama carries clear associations with both Mars (Mangala), the planet of energy and martial will, and Jupiter (Guru) in his Bhargava lineage, as the sage Shukracharya - preceptor of the asuras - belongs to the same Bhrigu clan. Devotees who face difficulties related to Mars or who seek the courage to uphold dharma against adversity are traditionally advised to include Parashurama's names in their sadhana. The stotra is most commonly recited on Tuesdays and on Parashurama Jayanti in the Vaishakha month, when his blessings are believed to be especially accessible to sincere practitioners.