Shloka 23

Naraka-varṇana: The Hellish Planets and the Karmic Logic of Punishment

Devanagari script

ये त्विह वै वृषलीपतयो नष्टशौचाचारनियमास्त्यक्तलज्जा: पशुचर्यां चरन्ति ते चापि प्रेत्य पूयविण्मूत्रश्लेष्ममलापूर्णार्णवे निपतन्ति तदेवातिबीभत्सितमश्नन्ति ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

ye tv iha vai vṛṣalī-patayo naṣṭa-śaucācāra-niyamās tyakta-lajjāḥ paśu-caryāṁ caranti te cāpi pretya pūya-viṇ-mūtra-śleṣma-malā-pūrṇārṇave nipatanti tad evātibībhatsitam aśnanti.

Translation

The shameless husbands of lowborn śūdra women live exactly like animals... After death, such persons are thrown into the hell called Pūyoda, where they are put into an ocean filled with pus, stool, urine, mucus, saliva and similar things... and are forced to eat those disgusting things.

Synonyms

• ये: those who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• वृषलीपतयः: husbands of śūdra women / men consorting with low women
• वृषलीपतयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषली + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (वृषल्याः पतयः)

• नष्टशौचाचारनियमाः: whose purity, conduct, and restraints are ruined
• नष्टशौचाचारनियमाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नष्ट (नश्-क्त) + शौच + आचार + नियम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (नष्टाः शौच-आचार-नियमाः येषां ते)

• त्यक्तलज्जाः: shameless (having abandoned modesty)
• त्यक्तलज्जाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्यक्त (त्यज्-क्त) + लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (त्यक्ता लज्जा येषां ते)

• पशुचर्याम्: animal-like behavior
• पशुचर्याम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु + चर्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘चरन्ति’ इत्यस्य कर्म

• चरन्ति: they practice
• चरन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

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

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• प्रेत्य: after death
• प्रेत्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र + इ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘मरित्वा’ अर्थे

• पूयविण्मूत्रश्लेष्ममलापूर्णार्णवे: into the ocean filled with pus, feces, urine, phlegm, and filth
• पूयविण्मूत्रश्लेष्ममलापूर्णार्णवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूय + विण् + मूत्र + श्लेष्मन् + मल + पूर्ण + अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (एतैः पूर्णः अर्णवः)

• निपतन्ति: they fall
• निपतन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि + पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘अश्नन्ति’ इत्यस्य कर्म

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphasis/only)

• अतिबीभत्सितम्: extremely disgusting
• अतिबीभत्सितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + बीभत्सित (बीभत्स-क्त) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘तत्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अश्नन्ति: they eat
• अश्नन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

Purport

Śrīla Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura has sung,

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about living without purity and shame (śauca and lajjā)?

This verse states that those who abandon purity, proper conduct, and modesty to live like animals incur severe karmic reactions, falling after death into a filthy ocean and being forced to consume abominable substances.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe such graphic hellish punishments in Canto 5?

He is instructing King Parīkṣit on karma and its consequences, using vivid descriptions of naraka to warn against adharma and to encourage a life of regulated, purified conduct aligned with dharma and devotion.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life?

Maintain cleanliness, self-restraint, and ethical conduct; avoid degrading habits that erode conscience; and strengthen spiritual discipline (niyama) and devotion so one’s life moves toward purification rather than karmic suffering.