Shloka 61

पञ्चाप्सरो-सरः कथनम् तथा अगस्त्याश्रममार्गनिर्देशः

Panchapsara Lake Account and Directions to Agastya

Devanagari script

ब्राह्माणानां सहस्राणि तैरेवं कामरूपिभिः।।।।विनाशितानि संहत्य नित्यशः पिशिताशनैः।

Transliteration

brāhmaṇānāṃ sahasrāṇi tair evaṃ kāmarūpibhiḥ | vināśitāni saṃhatya nityaśaḥ piśitāśanaiḥ || 3.11.61 ||

Translation

就这样，成千上万的婆罗门日复一日地被这些能够随意变形的食肉罗刹所杀害。

Word by Word

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: कर्म (Karma; object understood with vināśitāni)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक (thousands)

• तैः: by them
• तैः: करण (Karaṇa; agent/means in passive sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• एवम्: thus, in that way
• एवम्: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• कामरूपिभिः: by those who can assume forms at will
• कामरूपिभिः: करण (qualifier of तैः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (कामेन रूपं यस्य/येषाम्)

• विनाशितानि: destroyed
• विनाशितानि: कर्म (Karma; 'destroyed'—predicate of sahasrāṇi)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√नश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• संहत्य: having slain together, collectively
• संहत्य: पूर्वकाल
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-√हन् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund)

• नित्यशः: daily, continually
• नित्यशः: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्यशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आवृत्तिवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (frequency)

• पिशिताशनैः: by flesh-eaters
• पिशिताशनैः: करण (qualifier of तैः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिशित + अशन्/आशन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (पिशितम् अश्नन्ति ये)

Context

In this manner, thousands of brahmins used to be killed daily by those carnivorous demons who assumed any form at their free will.

Characters & Entities

• brāhmaṇa (brahmins)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma requires safeguarding those who uphold sacred learning and rites; systematic harm to them is presented as a sign of societal collapse into adharma.

What is the narrative situation?

The text summarizes the ongoing pattern of killings carried out by the deceptive, shape-shifting demons, emphasizing the scale and regularity of the crime.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Steadfastness in protecting the vulnerable and maintaining ṛta/dharma—an implicit call for righteous intervention against repeated injustice.