Jabali Bound on the Banyan Tree and Nandayanti’s Appeal at Sri-Kantha on the Yamuna
घातयिष्यति वा विप्रं यदा प्रक्षिप्त चासुरान् तदास्य स्वयमेवाहं करिष्ये कायशोधनम्
ghātayiṣyati vā vipraṃ yadā prakṣipta cāsurān tadāsya svayamevāhaṃ kariṣye kāyaśodhanam
“Atau apabila dia membunuh seorang brāhmaṇa, dan apabila dia mengganggu/menyerang para asura (atau apabila dia dihasut di kalangan asura), maka Aku sendiri akan melakukan ‘penyucian tubuhnya’—yakni Aku sendiri akan menghukum dan membinasakannya.”
{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
In this punitive-prophetic context it is best read as a euphemism for decisive divine correction—often culminating in destruction of the offender—so that the moral pollution (especially brahmahatyā) is removed from the world-order.
Brahmahatyā (killing a brāhmaṇa) is treated in Purāṇic dharma as one of the gravest transgressions, destabilizing ritual order and inviting immediate divine retribution.
The phrase can indicate being ‘set upon/let loose against’ the asuras or being ‘driven among’ them—either way, it marks escalation into violent, chaotic conduct that triggers the promised personal intervention.