Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell
सोऽजीर्णव्याधिदुःखार्तो मन्दाग्निः संप्रजायते । परनिन्दा कृतघ्रत्वं परमार्मावघट्टनम् ॥
so 'jīrṇa-vyādhi-duḥkhārto mandāgniḥ saṃprajāyate / paranindā kṛtaghratvaṃ paramarmāvaghaṭṭanam
He becomes afflicted with indigestion, disease, and pain, and his digestive fire (agni) grows weak. There also arise slander of others, ingratitude, and wounding others at their most sensitive points.
{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
The verse links vice to both physical imbalance (mandāgni, disease) and social harm (slander, ingratitude, cruelty), presenting dharma as holistic—governing body, speech, and relationships.
Didactic dharma/karma-phala material; ancillary to pancalakṣaṇa.
‘Weak Agni’ is a spiritual metaphor as well: diminished inner fire leads to poor assimilation of experience, producing reactive speech (slander) and subtle violence (striking others’ marmas).