Shloka 696
Rāma–Jāmadagnya-janma-kāraṇa and Kṣatra-kṣaya
Paraśurāma’s origins and the depletion/restoration of kṣatriya lineages
पीड्यन्ते न हि विप्रेषु प्रभुत्वं कस्यचित् तदा । सारे जीवजगत्में अराजकता फैल गयी। बलवान मनुष्य दुर्बलोंको पीड़ा देने लगे। उस समय ब्राह्मणोंमेंसे किसीकी प्रभुता कायम न रही
pīḍyante na hi vipreṣu prabhutvaṃ kasyacit tadā |
Vāsudeva berkata: “Ketika itu, dalam kalangan Brahmana, tiada lagi kewibawaan sesiapa pun yang kekal teguh; kerana mereka ditindas.” Rangkap ini menggambarkan runtuhnya tertib yang benar: apabila para berilmu dan penjaga dharma diganggu serta hilang martabat, masyarakat meluncur ke arah anarki, dan yang kuat mula menzalimi yang lemah.
वासुदेव उवाच
Educational Q&A
When those tasked with preserving learning, restraint, and dharma (vipras) are oppressed and lose social authority, the moral center of society weakens; this accelerates disorder and enables the strong to exploit the weak.
Vāsudeva describes a time of social breakdown: Brahmins are being harassed, so none can maintain recognized authority. The implied consequence is arājakatā—absence of effective governance and the rise of coercion by the powerful.