Parasu is the battle axe. The earlier specimens of this are light and graceful. The parasu of the archaic type consists of a steel blade that is fitted on a turned, light, wooden handle. The handle is sometimes fixed in a ring which is attached to the blade of the axe. Sometimes, however, the blade is fixed in a hole bored in the handle.

The later forms consist of a heavy club, closely resembling the gada into which the head of the parashu, is fitted. The blade is disproportionately small in these later forms but is of proper proportion in the earlier types.

Parasu represents non-attachment – the severing of our ties and bonds to the material world.

Parasu is closely associated with Parashurama (incarnation of Lord Vishnu) and Lord Shiva.

Famous Parasu:

1. Parashu – The parashu is an Indian battle-axe. It is generally wielded with two hands but could also be used with only one. It is depicted as the primary weapon of Parashurama (the 6th Avatar of Lord Vishnu).
2. Sakthi – A Hatchet-like weapon, seen in Ganesha’s iconography.
3. Tanka – The axe of Indra, God of thunder.