At a recent Mumbai workshop on “Parashurama and Dattatreya Tantra” by Annant Drishti, someone asked: how can Parashurama be Venus-Devta when he beheaded his own mother?
Answer — Parashurama = Venus is from Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra. 3 reasons:
1. Both are Brahmin Warriors taught by Shiva
Shukra (Venus) is Guru of Asuras — a Brahmin who teaches Shastra(knowledge)and Shastra (weapons). Parashurama is exactly that — Brahmin by birth, Kshatriya by karma, disciple of Lord Shiva. Beauty + force is Venus.
2. Both purify corrupt luxury:
Venus rules bhog, luxury, kings, palaces. Parashurama destroyed corrupt Kshatriya kings 21 times who became too materialistic. He teaches the Venus lesson: use luxury with Dharma, not Adharma.
3. Beheading Renuka is the death of desire — the core Venus fault
On surface it’s shocking, in iconology it’s not violence:
• Renuka = Renu + Ka = Made of Dust/Desire — the stained mind.
• Jamadagni = Burning Fire of Knowledge
• Parashurama = Axe of Viveka that cuts the wandering thought
So it’s not Mother-Son. It’s Guru orders Intellect to cut the impure thought in Mind to keep Dharma.
Tantrik view — 3 cuts in one act:
1. Moha: Love for mother is highest attachment — conquering it is conquering Moha.
2. Kama: Renuka’s momentary desire for Gandharva is the Venus fault. Parashurama cuts his own source of impurity first.
3. Ahamkara: He didn’t become proud; he immediately asked for her life back — cutting his own ego.
And only Venus has Mrita Sanjeevani Vidya. Shukra revived Asuras, Parashurama revived his mother. Only one who can kill desire can revive purity — not by suppressing it, but by cutting it with Viveka (Parashu) and reviving it with Karuna as Bhakti.
That revived Renuka and is worshipped as Renuka Devi / Yellamma.
Parashurama is Chiranjeevi, just like Venus is Sanjeevani — the axe that can both kill and forgive.