Headless mothers, magic cows, and lakes of blood: The Parashurama cycle in the 'Mahabharata' and beyond

This dissertation analyzes stories of the Indian epic hero Parashurama in terms of four major motifs: mixed birth, matricide, cattle theft and mass killing. Using theoretical models suggested by psychoanalysts Julia Kristeva, Jacques Lacan, and Andre Green, anthropological philosopher Rene Girard, and political theorists Carl Schmitt and Giorgio Agamben, it examines the changing significance of the myth and explores what it says about the connections between ritual, revenge, and desire.