Shloka 43
Right Conduct, Offenses Against Brāhmaṇas, Truthfulness, and the Greatness of the Cow
Go-Māhātmya
लभते ब्रह्महा घोरं वक्तव्यं चापरं शृणु । लक्षकोटिसहस्राणां ब्राह्मणानां वधं भजेत्
labhate brahmahā ghoraṃ vaktavyaṃ cāparaṃ śṛṇu | lakṣakoṭisahasrāṇāṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ vadhaṃ bhajet
Wer einen Brahmanen erschlägt, lädt eine furchtbare Sünde auf sich; höre auch, was weiter zu sagen ist: Er wird schuldig, als hätte er Hunderttausende von Krore an Brahmanen getötet.
Unspecified (dialogue context not provided in the input excerpt)
Concept: Brahmahatyā is an extreme transgression whose karmic magnitude is described as incalculably multiplied; violence against the sacred order destroys one’s spiritual standing.
Application: Cultivate ahiṃsā, restraint in anger, and reverence toward teachers and the learned; resolve conflicts through lawful means and repentance rather than harm.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A solemn dharma-assembly where a sage pronounces the terrifying weight of brahmahatyā. In the background, a shadowy karmic scale multiplies into countless silhouettes of brāhmaṇas, conveying the ‘crores upon crores’ hyperbole as a moral vision rather than literal gore.","primary_figures":["a venerable ṛṣi-teacher","a trembling listener/king","personified Dharma holding a balance","subtle presence of Viṣṇu as witness (aura or śālagrāma on pedestal)"],"setting":"Forest hermitage court (āśrama-sabhā) with kusa grass seats, palm-leaf manuscripts, sacrificial fire, and a distant riverbank.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["smoky umber","ash white","saffron ochre","deep indigo","golden amber"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a central seated ṛṣi in a forest sabhā beside a small homa-kuṇḍa, Dharma-deva with a golden balance behind him, and a faint Viṣṇu aura above a śālagrāma pedestal; heavy gold leaf halos, rich maroon and emerald borders, gem-studded ornaments on Dharma, stylized lotuses framing the warning of brahmahatyā.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a quiet Himalayan-foothill āśrama with deodar trees, a sage teaching a worried ruler, delicate linework showing a symbolic karmic scale with many tiny brāhmaṇa silhouettes; cool blues and soft greens, lyrical river in the distance, refined faces and gentle shading.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines of a commanding ṛṣi and Dharma with a balance, a glowing śālagrāma/Viṣṇu emblem above, flat temple-wall composition, warm red-yellow-green pigments, large expressive eyes conveying dread and moral gravity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: a devotional moral tableau with a central Viṣṇu emblem (śālagrāma with tulasī leaves) witnessing a sage’s discourse; lotus borders, intricate floral vines, deep blue ground with gold detailing, symbolic rather than violent imagery, peacocks at the margins as cosmic witnesses."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["low temple bell","homa fire crackle","conch shell (distant)","forest silence"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: चापरम् = च + अपरम्
FAQs
It stresses the extreme gravity of brahmahatyā (killing a brāhmaṇa), portraying it as a terrifying sin, magnified hyperbolically to the equivalent guilt of killing vast multitudes.
No. The verse is ethical and juridical in tone, focusing on the severity of a specific transgression rather than describing places or pilgrimage sites.
It warns listeners to avoid violence against protected or revered persons and to recognize that certain acts are treated in Purāṇic dharma discourse as especially destructive to one’s moral and spiritual standing.