Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.78.27
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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avatāraḥ
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descent
Ava- (down) + √tṛ (to cross). The Lord 'descends across' from His own realm into the world. Here Balarāma names His own avatāra purpose — proof that He speaks not as a Yadu prince but as Saṅkarṣaṇa-tattva.
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vadhyāḥ me
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to be killed by Me
Vadhya (gerundive, 'to be killed') + me (by Me). The gerundive carries the force of dharma — these ones must be killed. The Lord identifies hypocrites as the principal target of His descent.
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dharma-dhvajinaḥ
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those who flag dharma falsely
Dharma + dhvajin (flag-bearer). The image is precise: a flag advertises a kingdom; these men advertise a kingdom they don't inhabit. Bhāgavatam's most surgical word for religious hypocrisy.
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pātakinaḥ
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great sinners
From pātaka (a fall, a great sin). Pātakins are graver than ordinary pāpins because their fall is occluded by their robes. The verse insists: occlusion compounds, not mitigates.
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adhikāḥ
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exceeding / greater
More sinful than open sinners. Gauḍīya doctrine emphasizes this: pretending to be a devotee while not surrendering is graver than open atheism — because it co-opts the form of bhakti for non-bhakti ends.
Lord Balarāma was not prepared to overlook Romaharṣaṇa’s offense. The Lord had descended specifically to eliminate those who claim to be great religious leaders but do not even respect the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
"He may offend the brahmanas and such, but how can you, the Lord, who are supposed to be without anger and pride, kill him?" "I appear in this world with this purpose. Those devoid of dharma are the most sinful. They deserve to be killed by me, showing my own possession of dharma."
Balarāma speaks in the singular because he is non-different from Kṛṣṇa. Or, thinking that Kṛṣṇa was too soft, he spoke only for himself. “I cannot tolerate this.” Dharma-dvajainaḥ refers to those who were the symbols of great persons, but are not qualified to do so.
I have descended from Vaikuṇṭha to this world (asmin) for this purpose alone (hi). The hypocrites should be killed by me because (hi) they are most sinful. Though they are rascals they wear the clothing of the most righteous (dharma-dhvajinaḥ). Or they are cheaters.
- Where in me is religion performed rather than lived?
- What part of my outer practice would not survive scrutiny by my inner state?
The Lord names the very purpose of His avatāra: paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām. Hypocrites in religious garb (dharma-dhvajinaḥ) draw His blade more sharply than open enemies, because their offense soils the very robe of dharma. The Lord descends to cleanse His own colors.
The phrase 'religious flag-bearers' (dharma-dhvajin) recurs at SB 5.20.13 and Manu 4.195 — the hypocrite who carries the flag of dharma but no dharma inside. Kṛṣṇa, in Gītā 4.7-8, says He descends in every age precisely to handle this category: dharma-saṁsthāpanārthāya, to re-found dharma.
Mahāprabhu inherits the same task in His own avatāra — kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā — exposing performative religion and replacing it with nāma-saṅkīrtana. Balarāma's blow with a blade of grass and Mahāprabhu's blow with the Holy Name are continuous.
My note
Source: vedabase.io