Shloka 38

Kāṣṭhīla-Upākhyāna: Rākṣasī, Spear-Śakti, and Kāśī as Śakti-kṣetra

Devanagari script

जामदग्न्यः स्वयं सिद्धस्तपसा दग्धकिल्बिषः । ईश्वरः क्षत्रसंहारभ्रूणहत्यादिकर्मकृत् ॥ ३८ ॥

Transliteration

jāmadagnyaḥ svayaṃ siddhastapasā dagdhakilbiṣaḥ | īśvaraḥ kṣatrasaṃhārabhrūṇahatyādikarmakṛt || 38 ||

Translation

ຈາມະດັກນະຍະ (ພຣະສຸຣາມ) ເປັນຜູ້ສຳເລັດດ້ວຍຕົນເອງ ບາບຖືກເຜົາດ້ວຍຕະປະ; ແຕ່ພຣະອົງຜູ້ຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ນັ້ນ ກໍໄດ້ກະທຳການທຳລາຍກະສັດຕຣິຍະ ແລະການຂ້າທາຣົກໃນຄັນຄ້າຍກັນ।

Word by Word

• जामदग्न्यः: Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)
• जामदग्न्यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जामदग्न्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); ऋषि-नाम/पैत्रिक-विशेषणरूपेण संज्ञा

• स्वयम्: by himself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/स्वतन्त्रता-बोधक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘by oneself’)

• सिद्धः: accomplished/perfected
• सिद्धः: Karta-anvayi Viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृसमन्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘जामदग्न्यः’)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; साधन-कारक (means)

• दग्धकिल्बिषः: one whose sins are burnt away
• दग्धकिल्बिषः: Karta-anvayi Viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृसमन्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दग्ध + किल्बिष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (किल्बिषं दग्धं यस्य/‘whose sin is burnt’); विशेषण (qualifying ‘जामदग्न्यः’)

• ईश्वरः: the Lord/master
• ईश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनरुक्त-कर्तृपद (appositional subject)

• क्षत्रसंहारभ्रूणहत्यादिकर्मकृत्: doer of acts such as the slaughter of Kṣatriyas and (even) foeticide, etc.
• क्षत्रसंहारभ्रूणहत्यादिकर्मकृत्: Karta-anvayi Viśeṣaṇa (कर्तृसमन्वयी विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षत्र + संहार + भ्रूणहत्या + आदि + कर्म + कृत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः; ‘कर्म कृत्’ = कर्माणि करोति (agent noun); ‘क्षत्रसंहार’, ‘भ्रूणहत्या’ इत्यादि कर्माणि कृतवान् इति विशेषण

Speaker

Narada (narrating within the Uttara-Bhaga tirtha-mahatmya discourse)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"shanta","secondary_rasa":"vira","emotional_journey":"Begins with the calm authority of tapas and purification, then turns to the grave, forceful remembrance of violent/forbidden acts, creating a sober moral tension."}

Characters & Entities

• Jāmadagnya (Paraśurāma)
• Jamadagni

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It highlights a core Purāṇic theme: even a supremely capable hero like Paraśurāma is described in terms of karma and purification—tapas can burn away sin, yet actions (even extreme ones) remain morally weighty and demand dharmic reflection and expiation.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

Indirectly, it supports Bhakti by contrasting human effort (tapas) with the need for inner purity; in Narada Purana’s broader teaching, devotion to the Lord is upheld as a stabilizing force that guides one away from destructive impulses and toward dharma and purification.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

The verse points to Dharma-śāstra style reasoning used in ritual life—understanding categories of pāpa (sin), the role of tapas as a purificatory discipline, and the logic of prāyaścitta (atonement), which is applied in tirtha and vrata contexts.