Cohasset, were closely associated with the larger
Vedanta Society in the United States, although
organizationally independent. Since his death, the
leadership of the ASHRAM has been held by women:
Sister Devamata, Srimata Gayatri Devi, and Sister
Sudha. The three centers, distrusting the attitude
of some swamis toward women, refused to accept
the new swamis sent by the Ramakrishna Math to
lead their community. They applied to the Rama-
krishna Math to be allowed to operate as a sister-
hood, but no such permission was granted. In
1953 the Sarada Math, an order of women nuns,
was founded in India, finally allowing women in
the Ramakrishna-Vedanta tradition to take vows
of renunciation. When the Paramananda com-
munity still refused to accept new male swamis as
leaders, the parent order severed relations.
The Cohasset center and Ananda Ashrama
continue to conduct daily shrine worship, give
public services and classes, and publish Para-
mananda’s books.
Further reading: Sister Devamata, Swami Paramananda
and His Work, 2 vols. (La Crescenta, Calif.: Ananda
Ashrama, 1926 and 1941); Sara Ann Levinsky, A Bridge
of Dreams: The Story of Paramananda, a Modern Mystic,
and His Ideal of All-Conquering Love (West Stockbridge,
Mass.: Lindisfarne Press, 1984); Swami Paramananda,
Christ and Oriental Ideals (Boston: Vedanta Centre,
1912); ———, The Path of Devotion (Boston: Vedanta
Centre, 1907); ———, Emerson and Vedanta (Boston:
Vedanta Centre, 1918).
paramatman See VEDANTA.
Parashurama avatar
Parashurama was an incarnation of VISHNU who
fought the warrior class, who had tried to lord it
over the Brahmins. It is said that Parasurama has
wielded his fierce axe 22 times in different eras to
destroy all the warriors on Earth—however, a few
always managed to escape. Parashurama is also
associated with the founding of the areas demar-
cated by the Indian state of Kerala.
The story goes that ARJUNA, hero of the
MAHABHARATA, seized a cow from Jamadagni, the
father of Parashurama. When the son returned
to his father’s hermitage, he became furious and
went out after the great hero. In a dreadful and
bloody battle he eventually beheaded Arjuna.
The sons of Arjuna, bent on revenge, went to
the hermitage and killed Jamadagni. The furious
Parasurama determined to extirpate the war-
rior race once and for all. This is when he first
launched his 22 campaigns.
In another story, Parasurama’s mother went to
fetch water and became enamored of a king bath-
ing there. So enthralled was she that she forgot
to return to do her requisite sacrifices. When she
finally returned, Jamadagni ordered his sons to kill
their mother. When they refused, he ordered Para-
shurama to kill both his brothers and his mother.
Knowing the power of his father, he did as ordered
and received a boon in return. His wish, ironically,
was that his brothers and mother be restored to
life and that he forget all that had occurred. His
father agreed. Other versions of this matricidal
story are found in Indian folk tradition.Further reading: Cornelia Dimmitt and J. A. B. van
Buitenen, Classical Hindu Mythology: A Reader in the
Sanskrit Puranas (Philadelphia: Temple University
Press, 1978); John Dowson, A Classical Dictionary of
Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and
Literature, 12th ed. (Ludhiana: Lyall Book Depot, 1974);
Swami Bangovind Parampanthi, Bhagawan Parshuram
and Evolution of Culture in North-East India (Delhi: Daya
Publishing House, 1987).Parshvanath (c. 900 B.C.E.) Tirthankara in the
Jain tradition
Parshvanath was the 23rd TIRTHANKARA (saint) of
our cosmic half-era, in the Jain tradition (see JAIN-
ISM). MAHAVIRA, the partly historical promulgator
of Jain tradition, was the 24th and last for ourK 324 paramatman