Shloka 32

नरक-निर्णयः, पाप-कर्म-फल-व्यवस्था, प्रायश्चित्त-क्रमः, तथा हरि-स्मरण-परमत्वम्

Devanagari script

वर्णाश्रमविरुद्धं च कर्म कुर्वन्ति ये नराः कर्मणा मनसा वाचा निरयेषु पतन्ति ते

Transliteration

varṇāśramaviruddhaṃ ca karma kurvanti ye narāḥ karmaṇā manasā vācā nirayeṣu patanti te

Translation

Wer gegen die Ordnung von varṇa und āśrama handelt, mit Tat, Geist und Wort, stürzt in die Höllenwelten, denn er richtet sein ganzes Wesen auf adharma statt auf dharma aus.

Word by Word

• वर्णाश्रमविरुद्धम्: contrary to varṇa and āśrama duties
• वर्णाश्रमविरुद्धम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वर्ण + आश्रम + विरुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—वर्णाश्रमयोः विरुद्धम् (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• कर्म: action, deed
• कर्म: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• कुर्वन्ति: they do
• कुर्वन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक-यः (relative pronoun)

• नराः: men, people
• नराः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• कर्मणा: by action (deed)
• कर्मणा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• मनसा: by mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• वाचा: by speech
• वाचा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन

• निरयेषु: in hells
• निरयेषु: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निरय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• पतन्ति: they fall
• पतन्ति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संकेतक-सर्वनाम (demonstrative)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Karma-phala of violating varṇa-āśrama duties and the resulting naraka-gati

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Varṇa-āśrama-viruddha karma—by body, mind, and speech—binds the agent to naraka as a consequence of adharma.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Align livelihood, speech, and intentions with one’s duties and cultivate self-audit (kāya-manas-vāk) before action.

Vishishtadvaita: Dharma is service to the Lord’s cosmic order; moral agency operates within His governance of karma-phala.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Para-Brahman

Bhakti Type: Dasya

FAQs

What is the significance of varṇāśrama-dharma in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents varṇāśrama as a stabilizing sacred order; acting against it—physically, mentally, or verbally—creates adharma that ripens into painful karmic results such as naraka.

How does Sage Parāśara explain moral accountability in this teaching?

Parāśara frames accountability as threefold—deed, thought, and speech—implying that dharma is not only external behavior but inner intention and truthful, restrained expression.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named, the verse assumes dharma as the cosmic law upheld under Vishnu’s sovereignty; violating that order is, implicitly, a turning away from the Supreme sustaining principle.