Shloka 696
Rāma–Jāmadagnya-janma-kāraṇa and Kṣatra-kṣaya
Paraśurāma’s origins and the depletion/restoration of kṣatriya lineages
पीड्यन्ते न हि विप्रेषु प्रभुत्वं कस्यचित् तदा । सारे जीवजगत्में अराजकता फैल गयी। बलवान मनुष्य दुर्बलोंको पीड़ा देने लगे। उस समय ब्राह्मणोंमेंसे किसीकी प्रभुता कायम न रही
pīḍyante na hi vipreṣu prabhutvaṃ kasyacit tadā |
Vāsudeva said: “Then, among the Brahmins, no one’s authority remained established; for they were being oppressed.” The verse evokes a breakdown of rightful order: when the learned and ethical guardians of dharma are harassed and lose standing, society slips toward lawlessness and the strong begin to torment the weak.
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
When those tasked with preserving learning, restraint, and dharma (vipras) are oppressed and lose social authority, the moral center of society weakens; this accelerates disorder and enables the strong to exploit the weak.
Vāsudeva describes a time of social breakdown: Brahmins are being harassed, so none can maintain recognized authority. The implied consequence is arājakatā—absence of effective governance and the rise of coercion by the powerful.