Srimad Bhagavatam — Navama Skandha, Shloka 17

Paraśurāma Avenges Jamadagni; Restoration Through Sacrifice; Viśvāmitra’s Line and Devarāta (Śunaḥśepha)

Devanagari script

गत्वा माहिष्मतीं रामो ब्रह्मघ्नविहतश्रियम् । तेषां स शीर्षभी राजन् मध्ये चक्रे महागिरिम् ॥ १७ ॥

Transliteration

gatvā māhiṣmatīṁ rāmo brahma-ghna-vihata-śriyam teṣāṁ sa śīrṣabhī rājan madhye cakre mahā-girim

Translation

Ô roi, Paraśurāma se rendit à Māhiṣmatī, déjà dépouillée de sa splendeur par le péché d’avoir tué un brāhmaṇa; au cœur de la cité, il érigea une grande montagne de têtes tranchées des fils de Kārtavīryārjuna.

Synonyms

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातु: गम् (to go)

• māhiṣmatīm: to Māhiṣmatī (city)
• māhiṣmatīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhiṣmatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; नगरनाम (proper noun)

• rāmaḥ: Rama (Paraśurāma)
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• brahma-ghna-vihata-śriyam: whose splendor was ruined by brahma-slayers
• brahma-ghna-vihata-śriyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahma (प्रातिपदिक) + ghna (कृदन्त, घ्न=हन्तृ) + vihata (कृदन्त) + śrī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं माहिष्मतीम्—‘ब्रह्मघ्नैः विहता श्रीः यस्याः’ (whose prosperity was destroyed by slayers of brāhmaṇas)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (generic), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• śīrṣabhiḥ: with heads
• śīrṣabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śīrṣan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• rājan: O king
• rājan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• madhye: in the middle
• madhye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• cakre: made
• cakre: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्ष), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; धातु: कृ (to make)

• mahā-girim: a great mountain/heap
• mahā-girim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + giri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Paraśurāma
• Māhiṣmatī (city)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the sin of killing brāhmaṇas (brahmahatyā)?

This verse states that Māhiṣmatī’s prosperity was ruined due to brahmahatyā, highlighting that violence against brāhmaṇas destroys a kingdom’s auspiciousness and spiritual merit.

Why did Paraśurāma go to Māhiṣmatī in Bhagavatam 9.16?

In this narrative, Paraśurāma targets the Kṣatriyas responsible for grave wrongdoing; he goes to Māhiṣmatī—linked to brāhmaṇa-slaughter—and punishes them, demonstrating karmic consequence and the restoration of dharma.

What is the practical lesson of this shloka for modern life?

The verse teaches that harming the innocent and disrespecting spiritual integrity leads to the fall of prosperity; protecting dharma, honoring genuine wisdom, and avoiding cruelty sustains true well-being.