Shloka 54

Rāma–Jāmadagnya-janma-kāraṇa and Kṣatra-kṣaya

Paraśurāma’s origins and the depletion/restoration of kṣatriya lineages

Devanagari script

स तथा<55शु महातेजा: कृत्वा निःक्षत्रियां महीम्‌

Transliteration

sa tathāśu mahātejāḥ kṛtvā niḥkṣatriyāṃ mahīm

Translation

అలా ఆ మహాతేజస్సుగలవాడు త్వరగా భూమిని క్షత్రియరహితంగా చేశాడు।

Word by Word

सःhe

तथाthus, in that manner

अशुquickly, swiftly

महातेजाःof great splendor/energy

कृत्वाhaving made/done

निःक्षत्रियाम्devoid of kshatriyas; without the warrior class

महीम्the earth, the land

Speaker

वासुदेव उवाच

Characters & Entities

mahī (the earth)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights the ethical tension between extraordinary power and righteous restraint: even when one acts with a purpose (such as enforcing justice or fulfilling a vow), the destruction of an entire social class signals the danger of excess and the need to measure action against dharma and the welfare of the world.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vāsudeva describes a mighty figure who, acting swiftly, made the earth 'without kṣatriyas'—i.e., caused a widespread annihilation or removal of the warrior class—indicating a drastic upheaval in the political and social landscape.