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
“O kapag pumatay siya ng isang brāhmaṇa, at kapag ginulo/sinalakay niya ang mga asura (o kapag siya’y naudyukan sa hanay ng mga asura), kung gayon ako mismo ang magsasagawa ng ‘paglilinis ng kanyang katawan’—ibig sabihin, ako mismo ang magpaparusa at wawasak sa kanya.”
{ "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.