Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

व्रतेषु लोपको यश् च स्वाश्रमाद् विच्युतश् च यः संदंशयातनामध्ये पततस् ताव् उभाव् अपि

Transliteration

vrateṣu lopako yaś ca svāśramād vicyutaś ca yaḥ saṃdaṃśayātanāmadhye patatas tāv ubhāv api

Translation

He who grows negligent in sacred vows, and he who falls away from the discipline of his own āśrama—both, slipping from the world-sustaining order, descend into Saṃdaṃśa, the hell of biting anguish.

Word by Word

• व्रतेषु: in vows/observances
• व्रतेषु: Adhikarana (Sphere/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), बहुवचन

• लोपकः: one who causes/commits omission (breaker)
• लोपकः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोपक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• स्वाश्रमात्: from one’s own āśrama (stage of life)
• स्वाश्रमात्: Apadana (Source/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व+आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य आश्रमः)

• विच्युतः: fallen/deviated
• विच्युतः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+च्युत (कृदन्त; च्यु (धातु))
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Relative subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संदंशयातनामध्ये: in the midst of the ‘Saṃdaṃśa’ torture
• संदंशयातनामध्ये: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संदंश+यातना+मध्ये (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; समासः (संदंशस्य यातनायाः मध्ये) बहुपद-तत्पुरुष

• पततः: (the two) fall
• पततः: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, द्विवचन (dual)

• तौ: those two
• तौ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• उभाव्: both
• उभाव्: Apposition (Co-subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उभ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha/Emphasis (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कारार्थक-निपात (also/even)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Specific adharma (vow-neglect and ashrama-fall) and the named hell assigned to it

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Cosmological Context

Cosmic Hierarchy: Lokas

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Neglect of vows and deviation from one’s āśrama-dharma undermine the sustaining order (loka-dhāraṇā) and lead to proportionate suffering in Saṃdaṃśa.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Choose commitments carefully and keep them steadily; align lifestyle, profession, and relationships with a coherent dharmic discipline rather than episodic religiosity.

Vishishtadvaita: Āśrama-dharma is presented as part of Bhagavān’s cosmic governance—individual duty participates in maintaining the Lord’s ordered world.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Saṃdaṃśa (Naraka)

FAQs

What is the significance of vrata (sacred vows) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse treats vows as supports of dharma; neglecting them is not merely personal failure but a karmic breach that leads to specific post-mortem suffering.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the consequences of deviating from one’s āśrama duties?

He frames āśrama-dharma as a binding discipline; falling from it places the person among sinners destined for defined hell-realms, here named Saṃdaṃśa.

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

Even when Vishnu is not named, the moral order described is understood as operating under his supreme governance—karma and its results unfold within Vishnu’s sovereign cosmic law.