Vamana Purana — Karmic Causes of Narakas, Shloka 49

Karmic Causes of Narakas and the Irremediability of Ingratitude (Kṛtaghna-doṣa)

Devanagari script

तेजस्विनां यद्वदिहार्क उक्तो ऋक्षेषु चन्द्रो जलधिर्ह्वदेषु भवान् यथा राक्षससत्तमेषु पाशेषु नागस्तिमितेषु बन्धः

Transliteration

tejasvināṃ yadvadihārka ukto ṛkṣeṣu candro jaladhirhvadeṣu bhavān yathā rākṣasasattameṣu pāśeṣu nāgastimiteṣu bandhaḥ

Translation

Just as among the radiant ones the Sun is declared supreme here; among the constellations the Moon; among lakes the ocean; just as you are (supreme) among the best of Rākṣasas; among snares the Nāga (serpent) (is foremost), and among the motionless/immobile (things) bondage (is predominant).

Word by Word

• तेजस्विनाम्: of the radiant ones
• तेजस्विनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• यद्वत्: just as
• यद्वत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक-निपात

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• अर्कः: sun
• अर्कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• उक्तः: is said/called
• उक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः: 'said/called'

• ऋक्षेषु: among stars/constellations
• ऋक्षेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• चन्द्रः: moon
• चन्द्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• जलधिः: ocean
• जलधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलधि (प्रातिपदिक: जल + धि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'जलस्य धिः/निधिः'

• ह्वदेषु: among pools/lakes
• ह्वदेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ह्वद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; आदरार्थक-प्रयोग (honorific 'you')

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक

• राक्षस-सत्तमेषु: among the best of rākṣasas
• राक्षस-सत्तमेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'राक्षसानां सत्तमेषु'

• पाशेषु: among snares/bonds
• पाशेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• नागः: serpent
• नागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• तिमितेषु: among the still/quiet (ones/places)
• तिमितेषु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिमित (प्रातिपदिक; PPP from तिम्/तिमित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of implied 'जल/समुद्र' or 'स्थानेषु': 'still/quiet')

• बन्धः: bond / binding
• बन्धः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speakers

• Likely Pulastya to Nārada
• or a narrator praising an interlocutor; direct addressee ‘bhavān’ suggests a laudatory address (exact speaker/addressee not explicit in excerpt)

Primary Deities

• Sūrya (Arka)
• Candra

Key Themes

• Praise by analogy
• Cosmic hierarchy
• Didactic rhetoric

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "vira", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse uses ranked exemplars to teach discernment (viveka): within any domain there is a ‘principal’ that sets the standard; the listener is urged to recognize what is truly primary in a given sphere.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It is rhetorical/didactic praise rather than sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita proper; it likely serves as an introductory or transitional stuti within the chapter’s instruction.

What is the symbolic significance?

Sun/Moon/ocean symbolize unsurpassed centrality in their respective systems; the final ‘bandha’ image hints that bondage is the defining feature of inert existence—implicitly motivating the pursuit of liberating knowledge aligned with higher authority.