Shloka 28
Maṅgalācaraṇa, the Sages’ Inquiry, and Hari as Supreme with an Avatāra-Outline
अवतारे षोडशमे पश्यन्ब्रह्मद्रुहो नृपान् / त्रिः सप्तकृत्वः कुपितो निः क्षत्त्रामकरोन्महीम्
avatāre ṣoḍaśame paśyanbrahmadruho nṛpān / triḥ saptakṛtvaḥ kupito niḥ kṣattrāmakaronmahīm
Dalam penjelmaan keenam belas, melihat raja-raja yang memusuhi para Brahmana, Baginda murka dan sebanyak dua puluh satu kali menjadikan bumi ini tanpa golongan Kṣatriya, para pemerintah-ksatria.
Lord Vishnu (narration describing an avatara, commonly understood as Parashurama)
Concept: When rulers persecute spiritual order and justice, divine force restores balance—even through severe measures.
Vedantic Theme: Daṇḍa as an aspect of īśvara’s governance; preservation of dharma as cosmic necessity.
Application: Power must be accountable; protect institutions of learning and ethics; oppose systemic violence and corruption.
Primary Rasa: raudra
Secondary Rasa: vira
Type: continent/kingdoms
Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.1 (Paraśurāma avatāra)
FAQs
This verse frames hostility toward Brahmins and the dharmic order as a grave social-spiritual breach that can provoke divine intervention to restore balance.
Indirectly: it establishes dharma as the governing principle of cosmic order—later afterlife sections build on this by describing how actions against dharma lead to consequences after death.
Uphold dharma by respecting learning, ethics, and spiritual discipline; avoid abuse of power and actions that harm protectors of knowledge and righteousness.