Sage Jamadagni was once performing a yajna in his ashram. He asked his wife Renuka, to get water from the river Ganga. Renuka went to the river where she found some gandharvas (heavenly beings) enjoying themselves. She stood looking at them and got late. Jamadagni was very angry. He ordered his sons to kill their mother, Renuka. His sons were shocked. They stood silent. This further enraged Jamadgni. Just then, Parshurama, another son of Jamadagni entered with Renuka. Jamadagni ordered him to kill his mother and his brothers. Without hesitating, Parshurama raised his axe and chopped their heads off. By now, Jamadagni's anger had cooled down. He was pleased with Parshurama's devotion and gave him a wish. Parshurama asked him to bring his mother and brothers from the wrath of his father.

Parshurama, the sixth avatar of Vishnu, had a violent temper. When he heard of Rama breaking the bow at Sita's swayamvara, he became furious.

Parshurama, a master archer himself and a disciple of Shiva, could not bear to hear of Rama's victory. Besides being a proud Brahmin priest, he disliked the idea of 'Kshatriya,' a man belonging to the warrior class, winning the challenge. He decided to meet Rama and challenged  him. On his way to Ayodhya, accompanied by Dasaratha, Laxmana and Sita, Rama met Parshurama. Wielding his famous axe, Parshurama promptly attacked Rama. Rama, on the other hand, countered it with his Kondanda bow, and a fierce battle followed.

While the combat continued their eyes met and everything  changed. There was love in place of range, and respect instead of hatred. Recognising each other as different forms of the same supreme Vishnu, they threw their weapons and embraced each other.