Parashurama

Parashurama (Sanskrit: परशुराम, Paraśurāma), is the sixth avatar of Vishnu  and is the son of a Brahmin father Jamadagni and mother Renuka.  He received an axe after undertaking a terrible penance to please Shiva, from whom he learned the methods of warfare and other skills. Parashu means axe in Sanskrit, hence the name Parashurama literally means 'Rama with the axe'. He is also known as Parasurama, Bhṛgupati, Bhargava, Bhargava Rāma.

Paraśurāma fighting King Kartavirya Arjuna. ( Story from Mahabharata)

Once, when Parashurama returned home, he found his mother crying hysterically. When asked why she was crying, she said his father had been killed mercilessly by Kartavirya Arjuna. She beat her chest 21 times in sorrow and anguish at her husband's death. In a rage, Parashurama vowed to exterminate the world's Kshatriyas 21 times. He killed the entire clan of Kartavirya Arjuna  and then conquered the entire earth. Parashurama exterminated the world's Haihaya-Kshatriyas 21 times, thus fulfilling his vow.

Parasurama and Ganesha

According to one legend Parashurama also went to visit Shiva but the way was blocked by Ganesha. Parashurama threw the axe at him and Ganesha, knowing it had been given by Shiva, allowed to cut off one of his tusks. The goddess Parvati (wife of Shiva), on finding her son's tusk being cut, filled with rage and declared that if Parashurama's thirst for Kshatriya's blood was still not over, she would  teach him a final lesson.and kill him.

The Goddess Parvati then took a form of Shakti and thus became the ultimate source of Power who no other divine power could resist or match. Luckily, Shiva arrived at the scene and pacified Parvati after convincing not to harm Parashurama. Parashurama also asked for his forgiveness. Parvati finally forgives Parashurama at the request of Ganesha. Parashurama then gave his divine axe to Ganesha and blessed him.