Shloka 33
The Greatness of Gayā
Gayā-Māhātmya
एतेन कृष्णेन हता पुरा वै जन्मन्यनेका ऋषयः पुराणाः । एतौ स्मृतौ द्वावपि पितृपुत्रौ अवीचिसंज्ञं नरकं प्रविष्टौ ॥ ३३ ॥
etena kṛṣṇena hatā purā vai janmanyanekā ṛṣayaḥ purāṇāḥ | etau smṛtau dvāvapi pitṛputrau avīcisaṃjñaṃ narakaṃ praviṣṭau || 33 ||
By this Kṛṣṇa (the dark and sinful one), many ancient sages were formerly slain in various births. These two, remembered as father and son, entered the hell called Avīci.
Narada (narrating consequences of grave sins within the Uttara-Bhaga’s naraka descriptions)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
FAQs
It underscores the Purāṇic law of karma: violence against holy persons (ṛṣis) is a grave transgression whose momentum can follow one across births, culminating in severe post-mortem suffering such as Avīci.
By highlighting the catastrophic end of irreverence and cruelty toward sages, the verse indirectly points to bhakti and sat-saṅga (reverence for saints) as safeguards—devotion is sustained through honoring dharma and the devotees of the Divine.
The practical takeaway is dharma-śāstric ethics rather than a technical Vedāṅga: one must avoid guru/ṛṣi-apacāra (offense to sages) and follow prescribed prayāścitta and righteous conduct to prevent karmic downfall.