Shloka 11

Devanagari script

तद् ये तपस्विनः केचित् पृथिव्यां ये च यज्विनः कार्यो देवापकाराय तेषां सर्वात्मना वधः

Transliteration

tad ye tapasvinaḥ kecit pṛthivyāṃ ye ca yajvinaḥ kāryo devāpakārāya teṣāṃ sarvātmanā vadhaḥ

Translation

Therefore, whatever ascetics there may be upon the earth, and whatever sacrificers as well—if their aim is to harm the gods and overturn the order of dharma, then their destruction must be carried out wholly, leaving nothing behind.

Word by Word

• तत्: therefore/then
• तत्: Sambandha (Discourse connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/सम्बन्धसूचक), अर्थे—‘तस्मात्/तत् कारणात्’ (particle: ‘therefore/then’)

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्धबोधक-यः (relative pronoun)

• तपस्विनः: ascetics
• तपस्विनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; ‘तपस्विन्’ (ascetic)

• केचित्: some
• केचित्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + चित् (निपात)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; अनिश्चित-प्रयोगः (indefinite: ‘some’)

• पृथिव्याम्: on the earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचनम्; अधिकरणम् (locative)

• ये: and those who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्धबोधक-यः (relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (निपात)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चयबोधक-निपातः) (conjunction)

• यज्विनः: sacrificers
• यज्विनः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचनम्; ‘यज्विन्’ (sacrificer)

• कार्यः: should be done / must be
• कार्यः: Vidhi (Obligation predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; भाव्य/विधेय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; विधिलिङ्गार्थक-भाव्यविशेषणम्—‘कर्तव्यः/करण्यः’ (to be done/should be)

• देवापकाराय: for harming the gods
• देवापकाराय: Sampradana (Purpose/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + अपकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचनम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘देवानाम् अपकारः’); प्रयोजन/सम्प्रदानार्थः (dative of purpose)

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचनम्; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• सर्वात्मना: entirely, completely
• सर्वात्मना: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/तृतीया-प्रयोगः; तृतीया (3rd) एकवचन-रूपेण क्रियाविशेषणम्—‘सर्वथा/पूर्णतया’ (adverbial instrumental: wholly)

• वधः: killing
• वधः: Karma (Object as nominal predicate/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचनम्; भाववाचकः (killing/slaughter)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Asceticism and sacrifice are not intrinsically holy if driven by deva-apakāra; intent determines dharmic worth.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Assess motives behind ‘spiritual’ or ‘religious’ acts and oppose harm masked as piety through lawful, proportionate means.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is defined by alignment with Bhagavān’s cosmic order; external rites without right intention are not true service to the Lord.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Tapasvins (ascetics)
• Yajvins (sacrificers)

FAQs

What is the significance of austerity and sacrifice in the Vishnu Purana when used wrongly?

This verse warns that tapas (austerity) and yajña (sacrifice) are not automatically righteous; when aimed at harming the devas and disrupting dharma, they become illegitimate and invite total suppression.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the ethical boundary between piety and wrongdoing?

Parāśara frames intention and consequence as decisive: even revered practices like tapas and yajña lose their sanctity if their aim is deva-apakāra (injury to the gods) and the destabilization of cosmic order.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Though not named in the verse, the underlying Vaishnava premise is that protecting devas and dharma reflects Vishnu’s supreme governance of the cosmos; actions opposing that order are treated as opposition to the divine will.