Jamadagni Jamadagni , according to Hindu mythology , was one of the great sages , a descendant of the sage Bhrigu . His wife was Renuka . They had many children , the youngest of whom was Parashurama , an Avatara of Lord Vishnu . Execution of Renuka Renuka was such very devoted wife and the power of her chastity was manifest . Such was this power , that she used to fetch water from the river in a pot made of unbaked clay every day . The pot would hold together because of her devotion to her husband . One day , when she was at the river , a handsome Gandharva happened to be passing by in the sky , in his chariot . Smitten with desire for this handsome youth , for merely an instant , the damage to her powers was done . The unbaked pot that she was carrying , dissolved into the river . She was no longer chaste of mind . Afraid to go back to her husband , she waited at the river bank . Meanwhile Jamadagni , who was waiting for fresh water to begin his morning sacrifices , noticed that his wife had not yet returned from the river . By his yogic powers , he divined all that had taken place . Exceedingly angry with his wife , he called his eldest son , told him what had happened and asked him to execute his mother . Horror-stricken , his son refused to perform this deed . He then asked all of his sons , in the order of their seniority , to execute their mother and their undutiful elder brothers . While all the elder sons refused , only his youngest son , Parashurama , ever-obedient and righteous , at once beheaded his mother and elder brothers with his axe . Jamadagni , pleased , offered to grant a boon to Parashurama , who at once asked that his mother and brothers be restored to life and accepted into the family again . Impressed by his son 's devotion and affection for his family , Jamadagni granted this boon and many others . Jamadagni was later killed by a Kshatriya king Kartavirya Arjuna , over a dispute over a divine calf . Hinduism | Hindu mythology | Itihasa Female Deities : Gayatri | Saraswati | Lakshmi | Dakshayani | Parvati | Durga | Shakti | Kali | Sita | Devi | Radha | Mahavidya | more ... Male Deities : Vishnu | Shiva | Rama | Krishna | Ganesha | Kartikeya | Hanuman | Lakshmana | Indra | Surya | more ... Texts : Vedas | Upanishads | Puranas | Ramayana | Mahabharata This box :   view • talk • edit See also Parashurama Kartavirya Arjuna Categories : Hindu sages In other languages : Svenska 