I have been meaning to write about this ever since i saw the news items – but have generally given way to inertia 
Vajpayee compares himself to Parasuram and Advani & Mahajan as Ram and Lakshman. But, he probably got his sages mixed up. He probably meant (or should have meant Vishwamitra). Parasuram is regarded as 6th avtaar of Lord Vishnu (the protector of ‘mother earth’ in the trilogy of Hindu Gods – appearing at regular intervals to rid the earth of her oppressors, and restoring the path of righteousness, Dharma). Son of Jamadagni and Renuka – Parasuram kills his mother to prove his devotion to his father and asks for her life back as his boon gifted by his father. When Jamadigni is killed by the maurader Kartyavira Arjuna – Parasuram goes bananas and kills 10,000 generations of Kshatriyas. Genocide. He then retires to the hills to contemplate. When Ram breaks the Shiv Dhanush at Sita’s swayamwara, Parasuram challenges Ram to duel – and then realising that Ram and Lakshman represent Narayana and Adishesha – retreats from the world to do tapas. Afterall, he has to atone for those he killed! Vishwamitra on the other hand was born a king and aspired to be hailed as a Brahma Rishi by Vashishta. He attains his goal after many twists and turns and the creation of a new universe for King Trishanku. While in the midst of Yagya he is consistently troubled by Rakshashas. He goes to Ayodhya and demands the services of a 16 year old Rama and his even younger brother Lakshman, as protectors. He equips them with the bala atibala chant and unleashes them on the Rakshasas. He take them to Mithilla to Sita’s swayamwara. He is a friend, philosopher and guide to the young princes – and helps them on the road to righteousness. When Vajpayee refers to him as Parasuram, what does he mean? That he has gone off to atone for genocide, leaving the mantle to Advani and Lakshman. or is it that he has trained them in the path of governance and has ensured political succession? Maybe for a change Vajpayee is telling the truth! or as usual he has opened mouth and inserted foot!
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on Jan 1st, 2006 at 8:26 pm
[...] Harini has a reason to believe that AB Vajpayee got his mythology mixed up, when he likened himself to Parsuram, and LK Advani and Pramod Mahajan to Ram and Laxman. When Vajpayee refers to him as Parasuram, what does he mean? That he has gone off to atone for genocide, leaving the mantle to Advani and Lakshman. or is it that he has trained them in the path of governance and has ensured political succession? Maybe for a change Vajpayee is telling the truth! or as usual he has opened mouth and inserted foot! [...]
on Jan 1st, 2006 at 9:48 pm
What it means is that the BJP, shorn of power, is little more than a masquerade, and all the more dangerous in its ignorance.
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on Jan 2nd, 2006 at 12:41 pm
a little kindness while dissecting a senior citizen’s words would be nice. vajpayee probably meant that he had to withdraw now because a new ‘avatar’ had arrived on the scene.
btw, a happy new year to you . i read your blog regularly..but this is my first comment here..
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on Jan 2nd, 2006 at 7:51 pm
vajpayees comment needs to be seen in the context of bitter intra party rivalries that have charactarised the BJP sinc the parliemantry defeat in 2004. Further shri vajpayeejis remarks seem to indicate his preferences in the organisation structure of the BJP.
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on Jan 2nd, 2006 at 8:05 pm
Hi Bhupinder
you are right. i think that they use “God” as a cloak to be pulled out everytime election season is here or when there is a bankruptcy in policy matters
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on Jan 2nd, 2006 at 8:10 pm
kuffir. thankyou.
the mythology is that parasuram and ram cannot co-exist in the same time and space. and therefore parasuram goes off to do tapas.
What did Mr.Vajpayee mean – that he and Advani cannot co-exist. Or that Mahajan should follow Mr.Advani into a 14 year exile without questioning.
The trouble with bringing religion into political statements is that the analogies don’t really match up – and interpretations can abound. And given the precarious position the BJP has put itself in – India shining to this complete disarray – this kind of confusion cannot really help
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on Jan 2nd, 2006 at 8:13 pm
Hi Ram
Vajpayee himself has been a contributor to the bitter party infighting. For a change if the man had a taken a stand – rather than try and be all things to all people – maybe the fatricidal infighting would be less.
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