Shloka 21

Viṣṇu as Seed-Cause: Pañcarātra Emanations, Tattva-Unfolding, and the Avatāra Chronology

Devanagari script

ततो हरिर्जमदग्नेः सुतोभूल्लोके सर्वे पर्शुरामं वदन्ति / ब्रह्मद्विषां क्षत्रियाणां च वीन्द्र भूमिं निः क्षत्रां कर्तुकामो महेशः

Transliteration

tato harirjamadagneḥ sutobhūlloke sarve parśurāmaṃ vadanti / brahmadviṣāṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ ca vīndra bhūmiṃ niḥ kṣatrāṃ kartukāmo maheśaḥ

Translation

Thereafter Hari (Viṣṇu) was born as the son of Jamadagni; throughout the world all call Him Paraśurāma. Wishing to make the earth bereft of Kṣatriyas—the warrior-kings hostile to the Brāhmaṇas—Mahādeva (Śiva) undertook that purpose.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, temporal adverb

• hariḥ: Hari (Vishnu)
• hariḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• jamadagneh: of Jamadagni
• jamadagneh: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jamadagni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• sutaḥ: son
• sutaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: suta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• abhūt: became/was born
• abhūt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• loke: in the world
• loke: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• sarve: all (people)
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; जनाः (people) implied

• parśurāmam: Parashurama
• parśurāmam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parśurāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• vadanti: they call/say
• vadanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• brahma-dviṣām: of the haters of Brahmins
• brahma-dviṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + dviṣ (धातु/कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक dviṣ)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (brahmaṇaḥ dviṣaḥ); पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• kṣatriyāṇām: of the Kshatriyas
• kṣatriyāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• vīndra: O best of heroes
• vīndra: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vīra + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन, एकवचन; वीराणाम् इन्द्रः (best of heroes)

• bhūmim: the earth
• bhūmim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• niḥ-kṣatrām: devoid of Kshatriyas
• niḥ-kṣatrām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nis (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + kṣatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष/नञ्-सदृश (prefixal); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; भूतपूर्व-विशेषण: 'without kṣatriyas'

• kartu-kāmaḥ: desiring to make
• kartu-kāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष; 'कर्तु' (tumun infinitive) + 'कामा' → पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• maheśaḥ: the Great Lord (here: Parashurama as ‘Mahesha-like’)
• maheśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narration to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When rulers become brahma-dviṣ (hostile to sacred order), the Lord manifests to curb kṣātra-violence and re-establish dharma.

Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-anugraha and loka-saṅgraha: the Supreme acts within guṇas to restore harmony while remaining transcendent.

Application: Support institutions of learning and non-violence; restrain abuse of power; cultivate righteous anger only as disciplined protection of the vulnerable.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Geographic Context

Type: realm/continent (general)

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana (avatar-kathana sections around 3.15); Garuda Purana: dharma/rajadharma discussions where protection of brāhmaṇas is praised

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Jamadagni
• Parashurama
• Mahesha (Shiva)
• Kshatriyas
• Brahmanas

FAQs

What is the importance of Paraśurāma in the Garuda Purana?

This verse identifies Paraśurāma as Hari’s incarnation born to Jamadagni, presenting him as a dharma-restorer who confronts rulerly power when it becomes hostile to sacred law and the Brāhmaṇas.

How does this verse explain the purpose behind removing certain Kṣatriyas?

It frames the removal as a response to “brahmadviṣ” Kṣatriyas—warrior-kings who oppose Brāhmaṇas and dharma—indicating that kingship is legitimate only when aligned with righteousness and protection of spiritual order.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Power and authority must be restrained by ethical duty: leadership that becomes hostile to truth, learning, and moral restraint invites correction; cultivate governance (personal or public) rooted in dharma rather than pride or aggression.