When the ruling administrators, who are known as the kṣatriyas, turned astray from the path of the Absolute Truth, being desirous to suffer in hell, the Lord, in His incarnation as the sage Paraśurāma, uprooted those unwanted kings, who appeared as the thorns of the earth. Thus He thrice seven times uprooted the kṣatriyas with His keenly sharpened chopper.
Srimad Bhagavata Purana
श्रीमद्भागवतमहापुराणम्
मूल श्लोकः
क्षत्रं क्षयाय विधिनोपभृतं महात्मा ब्रह्मध्रुगुज्झितपथं नरकार्तिलिप्सु । उद्धन्त्यसाववनिकण्टकमुग्रवीर्यः त्रिःसप्तकृत्व उरुधारपरश्वधेन
kṣatraṃ kṣayāya vidhinopabhṛtaṃ mahātmā brahmadhrugujjhitapathaṃ narakārtilipsu | uddhantyasāvavanikaṇṭakamugravīryaḥ triḥsaptakṛtva urudhāraparaśvadhena
SB 2.7.22