1) Parśu (पर्शु) denotes ‘rib’ in the Atharvaveda and later. Cf. Śarīra. 2) Parśu (पर्शु) seems in some passages to denote a ‘sickle’, being apparently a variant of Paraśu. 3) Parśu (पर्शु) in the Nirukta (iv. 6) is explained in one passage of the Rigveda as meaning the sides of a cistern ( kūpa ). But the sense of ‘ribs’ is quite adequate there.