Prashuram is the 6th incarnation/Avatar or Lord Vishnu. The name "Parshu-Ram literally means "Axe-bearing Rama". Goud Saraswat Brahmin, community who predominantly settled between Goa and Mangalore and around Cochin-Ernakulam have closely associated with Bhagwan Parshuram.

The GSBs trace their ancestors to Rigvedic Brahmins settled on the banks of the Saraswati river. When the river went underground/disappeared, these Brahmins started searching for new lands and a few clams reached Goud region - Bengal-Odisha and settled there.

We know Parushram's story - after king Karthavirya tried to steal Kamdhenu cow from his father sage Jamadagni, Parshuram was outraged and swore to kill all corrupt kings which he did.

After conquering all the land, he decided to donate it to Sage Kashyap. Parshuram realised now that he had donated all the land to the sage Parshuram and felt it won't be appropriate to continue staying on the land he donated.

After having the blood of the Kshatriyas on his hands, Parshuram decided to perform penance at Gokarna. During this time, he encountered Varun dev (lord of the oceans and seas) who offered him as much as land he wanted because Parshuram had already donated all land he had. Parshuram threw his axe across and the sea went back and the Konkan strip (including Goa) was created.

Parshuram invited 96 families of Gawd Saraswat Brahmins to settle down with him on this new land. And that is how the GSB community settled down in Goa.

Eventually the Portuguese invaded Goa unleashed a pogrom on the community - covert or perish. To escape persecution/conversion my ancestors migrated to Mangalore (while some moved to Kerala and parts of South Maharashtra)

Finally, in 1961 Goa was liberated and became a part of Republic of India. Regardless of where the GSBs settled down - Kerala, Maharashtra, or Karnataka they have their kuladevs at Goa or around Goa. Most of the original temples been destroyed by the Portuguese.

The GSBs continued to thrive especiallly in the financial sector and the South Canara region (Dakshin Kannada) which can be called as craddle of Indian banking as it is the birth place of four major banks including Corporation Bank.

If there is one community which contributed immensely to Indian banking sector, then it is the GSB community. These following major banks were started by the GSBs

Canara Bank (1906)

SVC Bank - Shamrao Vitthal Bank (1906)

NK GSB Bank (1917)

Saraswat Bank (1918)

Syndicate Bank (1925)

Some famous GSBs you might be knowing- TV Mohandas Pai, Shefali Vaidya, Suresh Prabhu, Deepika Padukone, Vasudeo Kamath, KV Kamath

Former Defence Minister and Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was also a GSB.

The most famous GSB is Tonse Madhav Ananth Pai or TMA Pai - founder of Manipal University and Syndicate Bank. He was a Philanthropist and was awarded the Padma Shri. He is started India's 1st private medical college and also established many educational institutes.

Today, the two Ganeshotsav Mandals in Mumbai hosted by the GSB community draw the biggest of the crowds.

Some common Goud Saraswat Brahmin GSB surnames are - 

Pai, Shenoy, Kamath, Shanbagh, Baliga, Kamath, Bhat, Joshi, Mallya, Nayak, Hegde, Rao, Prabhu, Kini

Some famous GSB temples in Goa include

Ramnathi

Shantadurga 

Mhalsa

Damodar

Nageshi

Mangeshi