Shloka 27

Adhyaya 9 — Vasiṣṭha and Viśvāmitra’s Mutual Curse: The Āḍi–Baka Battle and Brahmā’s Pacification

Sanskrit

राजसूयविपाकोऽयं हरिश्चन्द्रस्य भूपतेः ।

युवयोर्विग्रहश्चायं पृथिवीक्षयकारकः ॥

Transliteration

rājasūyavipāko 'yaṃ hariścandrasya bhūpateḥ / yuvayorvigrahaścāyaṃ pṛthivīkṣayakārakaḥ

Translation

„Dies ist die gereifte Folge des Rājasūya-Ritus für König Hariścandra; und euer Streit ist einer, der die Erde auszehrt.“

Word by Word

राजसूयविपाकःthe consequence of the Rājasūya (sacrifice)

अयम्this

हरिश्चन्द्रस्यof Hariścandra

भूपतेःof the king

युवयोःof you two

विग्रहःconflict, quarrel

चand

अयम्this

पृथिवीक्षयकारकःcausing the ruin of the earth

Speakers

Brahmā explaining causality to Vasiṣṭha and Kauśika

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

Brahmā

Key Themes

Karma (vipāka)Ritual consequenceCollective harm from elite conflictRoyal ritual (Rājasūya)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Actions at the level of kings and sages have wide externalities: a private quarrel can become public catastrophe. The verse also frames ritual life within moral causality—rites too have ‘vipāka’ when entangled with unresolved tensions.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Carita with ritual-dharma coloration: it uses an event in a king’s life (Hariścandra) to illustrate karmic fruition and societal impact.

What is the esoteric significance?

Rājasūya symbolizes sovereignty/ego-integration. Its ‘vipāka’ here suggests that unpurified ambition or unresolved guṇic imbalance can externalize as conflict that ‘consumes the earth’ (the field of experience).