Parasurama using his battle axe to cut off the arms of the robber king, Kartavirya, who had stolen the sacred cow of the sage Jamadagni. is the sixth avatar of Vishnu, descendant of Brahma and pupil of Shiva. An avatar is the manifestation of a deity in human, superhuman, or animal form. Parasurama is one of the seven immortals of Hinduism. He received an axe after undertaking terrible penance to please Shiva, who in turn taught him the martial arts. He is best known for ridding the world of kshatriyas after the mighty king Kartavirya killed his father. He played important roles in the Mahabharata and Ramayana, serving as mentor to Karna and Drona. He also fought back the advancing seas to save the lands of Konkan, Malabar and Kerala.