Shloka 28

Devanagari script

अवतारे षोडशमे पश्यन्ब्रह्मद्रुहो नृपान् / त्रिः सप्तकृत्वः कुपितो निः क्षत्त्रामकरोन्महीम्

Transliteration

avatāre ṣoḍaśame paśyanbrahmadruho nṛpān / triḥ saptakṛtvaḥ kupito niḥ kṣattrāmakaronmahīm

Translation

షోడశావతారంలో బ్రాహ్మణద్రోహి రాజులను చూచి భగవాన్ కోపించి, ఇరవై ఒకసారి భూమిని క్షత్రియవర్గరహితంగా చేశాడు।

Word by Word

• avatāre: in the incarnation
• avatāre: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avatāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• ṣoḍaśame: in the sixteenth
• ṣoḍaśame: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ṣoḍaśama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (avatāre)

• paśyan: seeing
• paśyan: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक

• brahmadruhaḥ: those who harm Brahmins
• brahmadruhaḥ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman + druh (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (brahmadruhaḥ as acc. pl.); विशेषण (nṛpān)

• nṛpān: kings
• nṛpān: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• triḥ: thrice
• triḥ: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: triḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-अव्यय (adverb of frequency)

• saptakṛtvaḥ: seven times
• saptakṛtvaḥ: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sapta + kṛtvas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: आवृत्तिवाचक-अव्यय (frequency adverb)

• kupitaḥ: angered
• kupitaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kupita (कृदन्त; kup धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (paśyan)

• niḥ: out, away
• niḥ: Upasarga/Modifier (उपसर्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: niḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (prefix-like particle; here with kṣattrām)

• kṣattrām: the Kshatriya order
• kṣattrām: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣatra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘क्षत्रम्’ (warrior class)

• akarot: made, rendered
• akarot: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (अद्यतनभूत/Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• mahīm: the earth
• mahīm: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (narration describing an avatara, commonly understood as Parashurama)

Philosophical Teaching

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.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: vira

Geographic Context

Type: continent/kingdoms

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.1 (Paraśurāma avatāra)

Characters & Entities

• Brahmins
• Kings (Kshatriyas)
• Earth (Mahī)

FAQs

What is the importance of condemning 'brahma-druha' (anti-Brahmin) behavior in the Garuda Purana?

This verse frames hostility toward Brahmins and the dharmic order as a grave social-spiritual breach that can provoke divine intervention to restore balance.

How does this verse explain the path of the soul or afterlife themes in the Garuda Purana?

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.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Uphold dharma by respecting learning, ethics, and spiritual discipline; avoid abuse of power and actions that harm protectors of knowledge and righteousness.