Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 21

Rāma–Jāmadagnya-janma-kāraṇa and Kṣatra-kṣaya

Paraśurāma’s origins and the depletion/restoration of kṣatriya lineages

मातुस्ते ब्राह्मणो भूयात्‌ तव च क्षत्रिय: सुतः । परंतु तुम्हारा भाई ब्राह्मणस्वरूप एवं तपस्यापरायण होगा। तुम्हारे चरुमें मैंने सम्पूर्ण महान्‌ तेज ब्रह्मकी प्रतिष्ठा की थी और तुम्हारी माताके लिये जो चरु था

mātus te brāhmaṇo bhūyāt tava ca kṣatriyaḥ sutaḥ |

„Der Sohn deiner Mutter sei ein brāhmaṇa, und dein eigener Sohn sei ein kṣatriya. Doch dein Bruder wird von brāhmaṇa‑Wesen sein und der Askese ergeben. In das chāru, das dir bestimmt war, hatte ich die ganze große brahma‑tejas gegründet; und in das chāru für deine Mutter hatte ich vollständig die kṣatriya‑Kraft und Tapferkeit gelegt. Aber, o Heilvolle, weil das chāru vertauscht wurde, wird es nun nicht so sein: Der Sohn deiner Mutter wird brāhmaṇa sein, und dein Sohn wird kṣatriya sein.“

मातुःof (your) mother
मातुः:
Sambandha
TypeNoun
Rootमातृ
FormFeminine, Genitive, Singular
तेyour
ते:
Sambandha
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular
ब्राह्मणःa Brahmin (son)
ब्राह्मणः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootब्राह्मण
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
भूयात्may be / should become
भूयात्:
TypeVerb
Rootभू
FormOptative (Vidhi-lin), 3rd, Singular, Parasmaipada
तवof you / your
तव:
Sambandha
TypePronoun
Rootयुष्मद्
Form—, Genitive, Singular
and
:
TypeIndeclinable
Root
क्षत्रियःa Kshatriya (son)
क्षत्रियः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootक्षत्रिय
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
सुतःson
सुतः:
Karta
TypeNoun
Rootसुत
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular

वायुदेव उवाच

V
Vāyudeva (Wind-god)
M
mother (mātā)
S
son (suta)
B
brāhmaṇa
K
kṣatriya

Educational Q&A

The verse highlights that sacred intentions and ritual allocations carry moral and causal force: altering or exchanging what is consecrated (through deceit or error) leads to outcomes that diverge from what was originally intended. Dharma here is tied to truthfulness and fidelity to ritual order.

Vāyudeva declares the resulting destinies of two sons—one to be brāhmaṇa-like and the other kṣatriya-like—after a disruption in the intended distribution of spiritual radiance and warrior power associated with consecrated offerings. The statement functions as a divine verdict on the consequences of the exchange.