Shloka 26

Adhyaya 12 — The Son Describes the Narakas: Mahāraurava, Tamas, Nikṛntana, Apratiṣṭha, Asipatravana, and Taptakumbha

Sanskrit

प्रपतन्ति सदा तत्र प्राणिनो नरकौकसः ।

तन्मध्ये च वनं रम्यं स्निग्धपत्रं विभाव्यते ॥

Transliteration

prapatanti sadā tatra prāṇino narakaukasaḥ | tanmadhye ca vanaṃ ramyaṃ snigdhapatraṃ vibhāvyate ||

Translation

Die Wesen, die in der Hölle wohnen, stürzen dort unaufhörlich hinab; und mitten darin erblickt man einen anmutigen Wald mit glänzenden, üppig wirkenden Blättern.

Word by Word

• प्रपतन्ति: fall down
• प्रपतन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; present indicative 3rd plural

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of time)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• प्राणिनः: living beings
• प्राणिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; nominative plural

• नरकौकसः: dwellers of hell
• नरकौकसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक + ओकस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; nominative plural; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नरकस्य ओकसः = hell-dwellers)

• तत्: of that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन; in compound with मध्ये; ‘of that’

• मध्ये: in the middle
• मध्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; locative singular; ‘in the middle’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• वनम्: a forest
• वनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative singular (subject of विभाव्यते)

• रम्यम्: pleasant
• रम्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; agreeing with वनम्

• स्निग्धपत्रम्: with glossy leaves
• स्निग्धपत्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्निग्ध + पत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; adjective compound qualifying वनम्; कर्मधारय (स्निग्धं पत्रं यस्य)

• विभाव्यते: is perceived / appears
• विभाव्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-भा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; present passive/ātmanepada sense ‘appears/is perceived’

Speakers

• Same narrator; didactic description continues

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Illusory allure
• Suffering and delusion
• Naraka imagery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ‘pleasant forest’ amid torment warns that craving and misperception persist even in suffering; ethical clarity must be cultivated before consequences ripen.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Serves as dharma-oriented instruction (karmaphala) rather than sarga/pratisarga etc.; Purāṇas often embed such warnings as practical ethics.

What is the esoteric significance?

The attractive grove represents sense-objects (viṣaya) that appear soothing but conceal harm—an allegory for māyā-like misreading of appearances.