Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 74, Shloka 22

परशुरामप्रादुर्भावः

The Appearance of Parasurama on the Return from Mithila

Devanagari script

कच्चित्पितृवधामर्षी क्षत्रं नोत्सादयिष्यति।।।।पूर्वं क्षत्रवधं कृत्वा गतमन्युर्गतज्वर:।क्षत्रस्योत्सादनं भूयो न खल्वस्य चिकीर्षितम्।।।।

Transliteration

kaccit pitṛvadhāmarṣī kṣatraṃ notsādayiṣyati |

pūrvaṃ kṣatravadhaṃ kṛtvā gatamanyur gatajvaraḥ |

kṣatrasyotsādanaṃ bhūyo na khalv asya cikīrṣitam ||

Translation

ಪಿತೃಹತ್ಯೆಯ ಅಸಹನದಿಂದ ಇನ್ನೂ ಕ್ರೋಧಗೊಂಡು, ಮತ್ತೆ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯಕುಲವನ್ನೇ ನಿರ್ಮೂಲ ಮಾಡುವ ಸಂಕಲ್ಪವಿದೆಯೇ? ಹಿಂದೆ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಿಯವಧ ಮಾಡಿ ಅವನ ಮನ್ಯು ಮತ್ತು ಜ್ವರ ಶಮಿಸಿದ್ದವು; ಆದ್ದರಿಂದ ಈಗ ಪುನಃ ಕ್ಷತ್ರಧರ್ಮವನ್ನು ಉತ್ಸಾದಿಸುವುದು ಅವನ ಇಚ್ಛೆಯಲ್ಲ.

Word by Word

• कच्चित्: is it the case that...?
• कच्चित्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कच्चित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-अव्यय (interrogative particle)

• पितृवधामर्षी: angered at his father's killing
• पितृवधामर्षी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पितृ-वध-अमर्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः ‘pained/angered by father’s killing’ qualifying implied subject (परशुरामः)

• क्षत्रम्: the kṣatriya order
• क्षत्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• उत्सादयिष्यति: will exterminate
• उत्सादयिष्यति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत्-सद् (धातु; causative of सद्)
• Form: लृट् (simple future), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense ‘will exterminate’

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• क्षत्रवधम्: kṣatriya-slaying
• क्षत्रवधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र-वध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; ‘slaughter of kṣatriyas’

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive)

• गतमन्युः: with anger gone
• गतमन्युः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत-मन्यु (प्रातिपदिक; गम् क्त + मन्यु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘whose anger has gone’

• गतज्वरः: free from distress
• गतज्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गत-ज्वर (प्रातिपदिक; गम् क्त + ज्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः ‘whose fever/affliction has gone’

• क्षत्रस्य: of the kṣatriya order
• क्षत्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• उत्सादनम्: extermination
• उत्सादनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्सादन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; object of implied ‘cikīrṣitam’

• भूयः: again
• भूयः: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस्/भूयः (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरर्थक-अव्यय (adverb ‘again’)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation)

• खलु: indeed
• खलु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: खलु (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अनुनयार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• अस्य: of him
• अस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘of him’

• चिकीर्षितम्: intended
• चिकीर्षितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: सन्-प्रत्ययान्त (desiderative) क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; ‘intended/desirous to do’ (predicate)

Context

The king of Mithila and father of the brides gave a hundred thousand cows, excellent woollen carpets, crores of silk garments, four divisions of elephants, horses, chariots and infantry and well-decorated, excellent male and maid-servants shining in celestialbeauty.

Characters & Entities

• Paraśurāma
• Jamadagni (implied by pitṛ-)
• Kṣatriyas

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Unchecked vengeance threatens dharma by collapsing social order; the sages implicitly uphold restraint and the restoration of balance over repeated cycles of retaliation.

What is the narrative situation?

The sages, alarmed by Paraśurāma’s fiery arrival, fear a renewed campaign against kṣatriyas and discuss whether his former rage has returned.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

The virtue urged is kṣamā/śama (forbearance and calm), contrasted with destructive wrath.