Shloka 35
Dharma-vyādha on Parental Worship
Pitṛ-mātṛ-śuśrūṣā as Paramadaivata
स्वकावनावृतावूरू दृष्टवा देववरस्तदा । मधुकैटभयो राजन् शिरसी मधुसूदन: । चक्रेण शितधारेण न््यकूृन्तत महायशा:,भगवान् विष्णुने बहुत सोचनेपर जब कहीं खुला आकाश न देखा और स्वर्ग अथवा पृथ्वीपर भी जब उन्हें कोई खुली जगह न दिखायी दी, तब महायशस्वी देवेश्वर मधुसूदनने अपनी दोनों जाँघोंको अनावृत (वस्त्ररहित) देखकर मधु और कैटभके मस्तकोंको उन्हींपर रखकर तीखी धारवाले चक्रसे काट डाला
svakāv anāvṛtāv ūrū dṛṣṭvā deva-varaḥ tadā | madhukaiṭabhayo rājan śirasī madhusūdanaḥ | cakreṇa śitadhāreṇa nyakṛntata mahāyaśāḥ ||
Mārkaṇḍeya disse: «Ó rei, quando então o mais ilustre entre os deuses viu as próprias coxas descobertas, Madhusūdana colocou sobre elas as cabeças de Madhu e Kaiṭabha e, com seu disco de lâmina afiada, decepou-as—ele, de grande glória.»
मार्कण्डेय उवाच
Educational Q&A
When confronted with a seemingly binding constraint, dharmic action may require creative discernment (buddhi) to uphold the larger good. Viṣṇu’s act illustrates resolving a moral-legal impasse without breaking the stated condition, restoring order while honoring the framework of the challenge.
Madhu and Kaiṭabha are slain by Viṣṇu (Madhusūdana). Seeing his thighs uncovered, he uses them as the ‘place’ to set their heads and then decapitates them with his sharp-edged discus, overcoming the obstacle that no suitable place (earth/sky) was available for the killing.