Editing Parashurama (section)

=== Epic Ramayana ===
In the ''Ramayana'', following Rama's wedding to [[Sita]] at [[Mithila (region)|Mithila]] and during their homeward journey to [[Ayodhya (Ramayana)|Ayodhya]], his party comes across a number of inauspicious signs. Amid an earthquake and a dust storm, Parashurama appears before the party. After accepting the libation offered to him, Parashurama challenges Rama to combat, on the condition that the prince show his strength to the sage by placing a bow within the string of the latter's bow, [[Sharanga (Hindu mythology)|Sharanga]], and discharging it. Ignoring [[Dasharatha|Dasharatha's]] plea to spare Rama this task, Parashurama relays the divine origin of the bow and the history of its ownership, appealing to Rama's skills as a warrior. Rama seizes the bow from Parashurama and strings it, an act that causes the latter to become bereft of his divine power. Humbled, Parashurama acknowledges that Rama is an incarnation of Vishnu and requests the prince to allow him to return to the mountain Mahendra so that he could practice yoga and accrue [[Punya (Hinduism)|merit]]. After circumambulating Rama in worship, Parashurama returns to his hermitage.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Valmiki |url=http://archive.org/details/TheRamayan |title=The Ramayana |date= |pages=139–144}}</ref>
[[File:Ramabhadracharya_Works_-_Painting_in_Sribhargavaraghaviyam_(2002).jpg|thumb|Painting in Sri Bhargavaraghaviyam]]