Shloka 8

Hari’s Avatāras and the Cosmic Power of Pativratā-Dharma

Devanagari script

ततः परशुरामो ऽभूज्जमदग्नेर्जगत्प्रभुः / त्रिः सप्तकृत्वः पृथिवीं चक्रे निः क्षत्त्रियां हरिः

Transliteration

tataḥ paraśurāmo 'bhūjjamadagnerjagatprabhuḥ / triḥ saptakṛtvaḥ pṛthivīṃ cakre niḥ kṣattriyāṃ hariḥ

Translation

ついでジャマダグニの子、世の主パラシュラーマが顕現し、ハリは大地からクシャトリヤを三たび七回、すなわち二十一度にわたり滅して無きものとした。

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: Sambandha (Discourse adverb/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रातिपदिकात्)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादानार्थक-प्रयोगः/अनन्तरार्थे (thereafter/from that)

• परशुरामः: Paraśurāma
• परशुरामः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परशु (प्रातिपदिक) + राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (परशु-धारी रामः)

• अभूत्: became/appeared
• अभूत्: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लुङ् (Aorist), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन

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

• जगत्-प्रभुः: lord of the world
• जगत्-प्रभुः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (जगतः प्रभुः)

• त्रिः: thrice
• त्रिः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: त्रिः (अव्यय; संख्या)
• Form: संख्याव्यय (numeral adverb)

• सप्तकृत्वः: seven times
• सप्तकृत्वः: Sambandha (Adverbial/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सप्त (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + कृत्वस्/कृत्वः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; संख्याव्यय (seven times)

• पृथिवीम्: the earth
• पृथिवीम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• चक्रे: made/rendered
• चक्रे: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; धातुः—कृ (to do/make)

• निः-क्षत्त्रियम्: devoid of kṣatriyas
• निः-क्षत्त्रियम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; विशेषणं—पृथिवीम्; अव्ययीभावः (निः + क्षत्रिय = क्षत्रिय-रहितम्)

• हरिः: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Garuda Purana dialogue frame)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: When rulers become oppressive, corrective justice may arise; power must be restrained by dharma, and violence—though sometimes framed as corrective—remains morally weighty.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as regulator of rājya-śakti; avatāra as instrument of balance, yet pointing to the limits of krodha and the need for sattva.

Application: Hold leadership accountable; channel anger into principled reform, avoiding indiscriminate harm and prioritizing lawful, proportionate correction.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: continent/kingdoms

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.142 (Paraśurāma in avatāra sequence)

Characters & Entities

• Paraśurāma
• Jamadagni
• Hari (Viṣṇu)
• Kṣatriyas
• Pṛthivī (Earth)

FAQs

What is the importance of Paraśurāma in the Garuḍa Purāṇa?

This verse highlights Paraśurāma as a divinely empowered agent of dharma—an incarnation associated with correcting adharma when rulers (Kṣatriyas) become oppressive.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul?

Indirectly: it frames a moral universe governed by Hari, where actions (especially abuse of power) bring consequences—supporting the Purāṇic theme that karma and divine order shape both worldly fate and post-death outcomes.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Use authority responsibly: the verse warns that sustained injustice invites correction—so cultivate restraint, protect others, and align leadership with dharma.