Shloka 61

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

Sanskrit

पायसं कृशरं छागो देवाऽन्नानि च यानि वै ।

भुक्तानि यैरसंस्कृत्य तेषां नेत्राणि पापिनाम् ॥

Transliteration

pāyasaṃ kṛśaraṃ chāgo devānnāni ca yāni vai /

bhuktāni yair asaṃskṛtya teṣāṃ netrāṇi pāpinām

Translation

Milchreis (pāyasa), kṛśara, Ziegenfleisch und alle Speisen, die den Göttern bestimmt sind—jene Sünder, die solche Opfergaben ohne rechte Weihe und Riten verzehren, ziehen eine Strafe auf sich, die ihre Augen trifft.

Word by Word

• pāyasam: rice pudding
• pāyasam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāyasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• kṛśaram: khichdi/mixed rice dish
• kṛśaram: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛśara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Singular (एकवचन)

• chāgaḥ: goat (meat)
• chāgaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: chāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Singular (एकवचन)

• deva-annāni: food offerings for the gods
• deva-annāni: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + anna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी) ‘देवानाम् अन्नानि’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• yāni: which
• yāni: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Plural (बहुवचन); relative pronoun

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/indeed

• bhuktāni: eaten
• bhuktāni: Karma (कर्म/Patient)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु √bhuj)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त/कर्मणि), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया) Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with yāni

• yaiḥ: by whom
• yaiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन); relative pronoun

• asaṃskṛtya: without consecrating
• asaṃskṛtya: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saṃskṛ (धातु √kṛ with सम्-; अव्ययभाव)
• Form: Gerund/absolutive (क्त्वा/ल्यप्) with privative a-: ‘without consecrating/purifying’; adverbial

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी) Plural (बहुवचन)

• netrāṇi: eyes
• netrāṇi: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: netra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन)

• pāpinām: of sinners
• pāpinām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी) Plural (बहुवचन)

Speakers

• Naraka narration (continuing sequence of specific sins and punishments)

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "raudra", "secondaryRasa": "dharma", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Yama (implied)
• Devas (as recipients of offerings)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Ritual propriety
• Naivedya
• Karma-phala
• Naraka

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Offerings are not merely food but a ritual contract (yajña-bhāva). Consuming what is reserved for the divine without proper rites is framed as theft of sanctity and breach of gratitude, thus attracting sharp karmic consequence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Falls under dharma-śikṣā (instruction) rather than cosmological sarga/pratisarga; it supports social-religious order often interwoven into Purāṇas.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Eyes’ symbolize discernment. Misappropriating sacred offerings indicates dulled discrimination (viveka); the punishment targeting sight mirrors the inner loss of spiritual perception.