Shloka 181

Merit of Causeways and Crossings, Temple Construction Rewards, and the Rudrākṣa Mahātmya

Devanagari script

कपिलं मुक्तिदं धृत्वा ममतुल्य बलो भवेत् । लक्षकोटिसहस्राणि ब्रह्महत्याः करोति यः

Transliteration

kapilaṃ muktidaṃ dhṛtvā mamatulya balo bhavet | lakṣakoṭisahasrāṇi brahmahatyāḥ karoti yaḥ

Translation

मुक्तिदायक कपिल (रूप) धारण केल्याने मनुष्य माझ्यासारखा बलवान होतो. पण जो ब्रह्महत्या करतो, तो लक्ष-कोटी-सहस्र (गुणा) पापाचा भागी होतो।

Word by Word

• कपिलम्: Kapila (name/object)
• कपिलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• मुक्ति-दम्: liberation-giving
• मुक्ति-दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + द (कृदन्त; दा धातु, 'giving')
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी/उपपद: 'giver of liberation'); adjective qualifying कपिलम्

• धृत्वा: having worn/held
• धृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund); 'having worn/held'

• मम-तुल्यः: equal to me
• मम-तुल्यः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मम (षष्ठी एकवचन of अहम्) + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी: 'equal to me'); adjective qualifying बलः

• बलः: strength
• बलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• भवेत्: would become/should be
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद; 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• लक्ष-कोटि-सहस्राणि: hundreds of thousands, crores, and thousands (in vast numbers)
• लक्ष-कोटि-सहस्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; समाहार-द्वन्द्व (a collective numerical aggregate) used as measure/number

• ब्रह्म-हत्याः: Brahmin-killings (grave sins)
• ब्रह्म-हत्याः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + हत्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; तत्पुरुष-समासः (ब्रह्मणः हत्या = killing of a Brahmin)

• करोति: does/commits
• करोति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद; 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; relative pronoun (subject of करोति)

Speaker

Unclear from single-verse context (likely within a Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue typical of Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: ममतुल्य = मम + तुल्यः (here agreeing with बलः). लक्षकोटिसहस्राणि treated as a collective compound; brahmahatyāḥ = ब्रह्म + हत्याः.

Characters & Entities

• Kapila
• Brahmahatya (brahmin-slaying)

FAQs

Who or what is ‘Kapila’ in this verse?

In Purāṇic usage, ‘Kapila’ can denote a sacred being or, very commonly, the kapilā (tawny) cow regarded as highly meritorious to keep, gift, or protect; the epithet ‘muktidam’ (“giver of liberation”) points to its exceptional religious merit.

What ethical teaching is emphasized here?

The verse contrasts actions that elevate (supporting a sacred, liberating duty associated with ‘Kapila’) with actions that gravely degrade (brahmahatyā), underscoring the Purāṇic ethic that protection of dharma-bearing beings and avoidance of violence against brāhmaṇas are central moral imperatives.

How should the huge numbers about brahmahatyā be understood?

Such large numerals are a Purāṇic rhetorical intensifier, stressing the extreme severity and compounding consequences of brahmahatyā rather than functioning as a literal arithmetic tally.