Vamana Purana — Rules of Purity (Shauca), Shloka 44

Rules of Purity (Śauca), Permissible Foods, and the Duties of the Householder and Forest-Dweller

Devanagari script

परस्वे परदारे च न कार्या बुद्धिरुत्तमैः परस्वं नरकायैव परदाराश्च मृत्यवे

Transliteration

parasve paradāre ca na kāryā buddhiruttamaiḥ parasvaṃ narakāyaiva paradārāśca mṛtyave

Translation

The best of people should not set their mind upon another’s property or another’s wife; another’s property leads to hell, and another’s wife leads to death.

Word by Word

• परस्वे: in another’s property
• परस्वे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; परस्य स्वम् इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; Locative: 'in another's property'

• परदारे: in another’s wife
• परदारे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; परस्य दाराः इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; Locative: 'in another’s wife/wives'

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• कार्यā: should be done/made
• कार्यā: विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + यत् → कार्य (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle): 'to be done/should be made'

• बुद्धिः: intention/mind
• बुद्धिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• उत्तमैः: by the best (men)
• उत्तमैः: कर्ता (Agent in passive sense/कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन; करण/सह-भाव: 'by the best (people)'

• परस्वम्: another’s property
• परस्वम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; Nominative: 'another’s property'

• नरकाय: for hell
• नरकाय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Recipient-Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; दत्त/प्रयोजन: 'for hell'

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• परदाराः: another’s wives
• परदाराः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर-दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष; Nominative plural: 'another’s wives'

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मृत्यवे: for death
• मृत्यवे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; प्रयोजन: 'for death'

Speakers

• Likely Pulastya → Nārada (standard Vāmana Purāṇa dialogue frame; specific attribution not provided in input)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Non-stealing (asteya)
• Sexual ethics
• Karmic consequence (naraka)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Ethical life begins at the level of intention (buddhi): even directing one’s mind toward theft or adultery is censured. The verse uses consequence-language (naraka/mṛtyu) to stress that social transgressions are also cosmic violations of ṛta/dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is dharma-śāstra-like instruction (ācāra) inserted into Purāṇic narration; it is not primarily cosmology (sarga/pratisarga) but normative guidance supporting righteous lineages and kingship (vamśānucarita milieu).

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Parasva’ and ‘paradāra’ symbolize illegitimate appropriation—of resources and of relational bonds. ‘Naraka’ and ‘mṛtyu’ symbolize spiritual degradation and social self-destruction resulting from violating trust.