Rāma–Jāmadagnya-janma-kāraṇa and Kṣatra-kṣaya
Paraśurāma’s origins and the depletion/restoration of kṣatriya lineages
तेषामपचितिश्लैव मया कार्या महामुने । न हाहं कामये नित्यमतिक्रान्तेन रक्षणम् । वर्तमानेन वर्तेयं तत् क्षिप्रं संविधीयताम्
teṣām apacitiś caiva mayā kāryā mahāmune | na hy ahaṁ kāmaye nityam atikrāntena rakṣaṇam | vartamānena varteyaṁ tat kṣipraṁ saṁvidhīyatām ||
Wahai mahāmuni, aku harus membalas budi mereka dengan menghormati para keturunan raja-raja itu. Aku tidak pernah menginginkan perlindungan dari seorang kṣatriya yang melampaui batas dharma. Biarlah aku hidup di bawah penjagaan orang yang teguh dalam dharma yang berlaku; karena itu, mohon atur hal ini tanpa menunda.
वासुदेव उवाच
Protection and authority are legitimate only when grounded in dharma: one should not accept guardianship from a ruler who has violated moral limits, and one should actively repay obligations (apaciti) through respectful conduct toward benefactors and their descendants.
Vāsudeva addresses a sage, stating that he must honor the descendants of certain kings as a repayment of gratitude, and he requests swift arrangements so that protection/guardianship is entrusted to a kṣatriya who remains within dharma rather than one who has transgressed it.