Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.21.13
तस्मादस्य वधो धर्मो भर्तु: शुश्रूषणं च न: ।
इत्यायुधानि जगृहुर्बलेरनुचरासुरा: ॥ १३ ॥
tasmād asya vadho dharmo
[tasmaad asya vadho dharmo]
bhartuḥ śuśrūṣaṇaṁ ca naḥ
[bhartuh shushrooshanam cha nah]
ity āyudhāni jagṛhur
[ity aayudhaani jagrihur]
baler anucarāsurāḥ
[baler anucharaasuraah]
Word-for-word
tasmāt
—
therefore
asya
—
of this brahmacārī Vāmana
vadhaḥ
—
the killing
dharmaḥ
—
is our duty
bhartuḥ
—
of our master
śuśrūṣaṇam ca
—
and it is the way of serving
naḥ
—
our
iti
—
thus
āyudhāni
—
all kinds of weapons
jagṛhuḥ
—
they took up
baleḥ
—
of Bali Mahārāja
anucara
—
followers
asurāḥ
—
all the demons.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasmād asya vadho dharmo
tasmāt
therefore
asya
of this brahmacārī Vāmana
vadhaḥ
the killing
dharmaḥ
is our duty
bhartuḥ śuśrūṣaṇaṁ ca naḥ
bhartuḥ
of our master
śuśrūṣaṇam ca
and it is the way of serving
naḥ
our
ity āyudhāni jagṛhur
iti
thus
āyudhāni
all kinds of weapons
jagṛhuḥ
they took up
baler anucarāsurāḥ
baleḥ
of Bali Mahārāja
anucara
followers
asurāḥ
all the demons.
“Therefore it is our duty to kill this Vāmanadeva, Lord Viṣṇu. It is our religious principle and the way to serve our master.” After making this decision, the demoniac followers of Mahārāja Bali took up their various weapons with a view to killing Vāmanadeva.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Therefore to serve our master, it is our duty to kill Vāmana. After making this decision, the demonic followers of Mahārāja Bali took up their weapons.
Personal Guidance
Therefore it is our duty to kill Viṣṇu — religious principle and service to our master. The demons frame attack on the Lord as dharma. Demonic 'dharma' is dharma upside down, justifying the worst by pious language.
Reflection Questions
- What pious framing am I using to justify an action my conscience knows is opposed?
- Where does 'service to my master' become my cover for attacking what my master himself reveres?
My note
Source: vedabase.io