Shloka 29

Adhyaya 14 — The Messenger of Yama Explains Karmic Retribution and the Causes of Naraka Torments

Sanskrit

स्वल्पं पुण्यं शुभं गन्धं हेलया सम्प्रयच्छति ।

स्पर्शं वाप्यथवा शब्दं रसं रूपमथापि वा ॥

Transliteration

svalpaṃ puṇyaṃ śubhaṃ gandhaṃ helayā samprayacchati / sparśaṃ vāpy athavā śabdaṃ rasaṃ rūpam athāpi vā

Translation

Selbst eine geringe verdienstvolle Tat verleiht einen angenehmen Duft, auch wenn sie beiläufig getan wird; ebenso schenkt sie eine wohltuende Berührung, einen lieblichen Klang, einen köstlichen Geschmack und auch eine schöne Gestalt.

Word by Word

• स्वल्पम्: a little/slight
• स्वल्पम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; adjective qualifying objects

• पुण्यम्: meritorious/holy
• पुण्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective

• शुभम्: auspicious/pleasant
• शुभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; adjective

• गन्धम्: smell/fragrance
• गन्धम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हेलया: with ease/carelessly
• हेलया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: helā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; adverbial instrumental

• सम्प्रयच्छति: bestows/gives
• सम्प्रयच्छति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+प्र+यम् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• स्पर्शम्: touch
• स्पर्शम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sparśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle ‘or’)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (particle ‘also/even’)

• अथवा: or else
• अथवा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (alternative ‘or else’)

• शब्दम्: sound/word
• शब्दम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रसम्: taste/essence
• रसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• रूपम्: form/appearance
• रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अनन्तर/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (then/and)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-निपात (also/even)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (or)

Speakers

• Unclear from provided excerpt (likely a sage instructing a king
• as indicated later by 'rājan')

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "bhakti", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Key Themes

• Karma
• Karmaphala
• Ethics
• Sense-experience (indriya)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Even seemingly minor good deeds can mature into tangible, pleasant experiences through the senses; karma need not be grand to produce perceptible results.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Not a pancalakṣaṇa topic (sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita); it belongs to didactic dharma-śāstra style teaching on karma and its fruits.

What is the esoteric significance?

The verse links puṇya with refined sensory outcomes, implying that inner ethical quality (puṇya) conditions the field of experience (viṣaya) and the mind’s receptivity to it.