Shloka 22

Kārtavīrya–Samudra Saṃvāda and the Jāmadagnya Precedent (आश्वमेधिक पर्व, अध्याय २९)

Devanagari script

पितर ऊचु. नाहसे क्षत्रबन्धूंस्त्वं निहन्तुं जयतां वर । नेह युक्त त्वया हन्तुं ब्राह्मणेन सता नृूपान्‌

Transliteration

pitar ūcuḥ | nārhasi kṣatrabandhūṁs tvaṁ nihantuṁ jayatāṁ vara | neha yuktaṁ tvayā hantuṁ brāhmaṇena satā nṛpān |

Translation

祖灵（Pitṛ）说道：“噢，胜者之中最卓越者！你不应屠戮这些刹帝利。在此处，你——身为德行具足的婆罗门——去杀诸王，实非所宜。此举既不合你的身份，也不合正法（dharma）。”

Word by Word

• पितरः: the forefathers
• पितरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• ऊचुः: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, 3rd, Plural

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अर्हसे: you are fit/ought
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्ह्
• Form: Present, 2nd, Singular

• क्षत्रबन्धून्: base/degenerate kshatriyas
• क्षत्रबन्धून्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रबन्धु
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• त्वम्: you
• त्वम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Nominative, Singular

• निहन्तुम्: to slay
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Infinitive (tumun)

• जयताम्: of those who conquer
• Type: Verb
• Root: जि
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive, Plural

• वर: O best
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• इह: here/in this matter
• इह: Adhikarana
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह

• युक्तम्: proper/appropriate
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• त्वया: by you
• त्वया: Karana
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Instrumental, Singular

• हन्तुम्: to kill
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन्
• Form: Infinitive (tumun)

• ब्राह्मणेन: by a brahmin
• ब्राह्मणेन: Karana
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• सता: by a good/virtuous (man)
• सता: Karana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Singular

• नृपान्: kings
• नृपान्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृप
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

Speaker

समुद्र उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Pitṛs (ancestral spirits)
• Paraśurāma (implied by address 'jayatāṁ vara' in the received context)
• kṣatriyas
• kings (nṛpāḥ)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse stresses propriety (yukta) and dharma according to one’s role: a virtuous brāhmaṇa is urged to refrain from killing kings/kṣatriyas, emphasizing restraint and ethical limits on violence.

What is happening in the narrative?

The ancestral Fathers (Pitṛs) address the warrior-sage (contextually Paraśurāma), admonishing him that it is unfitting for a righteous brāhmaṇa to slay kṣatriyas and rulers, thereby redirecting him toward dharmic conduct.