FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.20

अवतारे षोडशमे पश्यन् ब्रह्मद्रुहो नृपान् । त्रि:सप्तकृत्व: कुपितो नि:क्षत्रामकरोन्महीम् ॥ २० ॥
avatāre ṣoḍaśame
[avataare shodashame]
paśyan brahma-druho nṛpān
[pashyan brahma-druho nripaan]
triḥ-sapta-kṛtvaḥ kupito
[trih-sapta-kritvah kupito]
niḥ-kṣatrām akaron mahīm
[nih-kshatraam akaron maheem]
Word-for-word
avatāre — in the incarnation of the Lord ṣoḍaśame — the sixteenth paśyan — seeing brahma-druhaḥ — disobedient to the orders of the brāhmaṇas nṛpān — the kingly order triḥ-sapta — thrice seven times kṛtvaḥ — had done kupitaḥ — being engaged niḥ — negation kṣatrām — the administrative class akarot — did perform mahīm — the earth.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
avatāre ṣoḍaśame
avatāre
in the incarnation of the Lord
ṣoḍaśame
the sixteenth
paśyan brahma-druho nṛpān
paśyan
seeing
brahma-druhaḥ
disobedient to the orders of the brāhmaṇas
nṛpān
the kingly order
triḥ-sapta-kṛtvaḥ kupito
triḥ-sapta
thrice seven times
kṛtvaḥ
had done
kupitaḥ
being engaged
niḥ-kṣatrām akaron mahīm
niḥ
negation
kṣatrām
the administrative class
akarot
did perform
mahīm
the earth.
In the sixteenth incarnation of the Godhead, the Lord [as Bhṛgupati] annihilated the administrative class [kṣatriyas] twenty-one times, being angry with them because of their rebellion against the brāhmaṇas [the intelligent class].
Purport

The kṣatriyas, or the administrative class of men, are expected to rule the planet by the direction of the intelligent class of men, who give direction to the rulers in terms of the standard śāstras, or the books of revealed knowledge. The rulers carry on the administration according to that direction. Whenever there is disobedience on the part of the kṣatriyas, or the administrative class, against the orders of the learned and intelligent brāhmaṇas, the administrators are removed by force from the posts, and arrangement is made for better administration.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The Lord, appearing as Parāśurāma, the sixteenth avatāra, seeing the kings harassing the brāhamaṇas, became angry and twenty-one times annihilated the kṣatriyas from the earth.
Commentary

Triḥ-sapta-kṛtvaḥ means twenty-one times (3x7). Kṛtvaḥ is used as a suffix after numerals to indicate counting of repeated actions. Also numerals with the suffix suc such as triḥ indicate repeated actions. (Pāṇini 5.4.17-18)

Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Paraśurāma confronted a ruling class that had turned against the wise. There are moments when justice requires the brave to push back against entrenched power — that too can be sacred work.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I avoiding necessary pushback because it's uncomfortable?
  • How do I keep righteous action from drifting into mere anger?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 3