Shloka 48
The Greatness of the Month of Māgha
Māgha-snāna, Harivāsara, and the Kāṣṭhīlā-Upākhyāna
जीवितेनापि वित्तेन भर्तारं वंचयेत्तु या । कृमियोनिशतं गत्वा पुल्कसी जायते तु सा ॥ ४८ ॥
jīvitenāpi vittena bhartāraṃ vaṃcayettu yā | kṛmiyoniśataṃ gatvā pulkasī jāyate tu sā || 48 ||
La mujer que engaña a su esposo—sea por su propia vida o por riqueza—tras pasar por cien nacimientos en vientres de gusanos, renace como Pulkasī.
Narada (teaching karmaphala as part of dharma-upadesha)
Vrata: none
Rasa: {"primary_rasa":"bhayanaka","secondary_rasa":"bibhatsa","emotional_journey":"A stern warning escalates into vivid, repulsive karmic consequences (worm-wombs) and social degradation (birth as pulkasī)."}
FAQs
It stresses karmaphala: betrayal within the sacred household bond (gṛhastha-dharma) is treated as adharma that leads to severe, degrading rebirths, urging truthfulness and fidelity as spiritual disciplines.
By warning against deceit and moral collapse, it indirectly supports bhakti as a life of purity (śauca), sincerity, and dharmic conduct—qualities considered necessary for steady devotion to Vishnu and for avoiding papa that obstructs worship.
No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa or Jyotiṣa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is dharma-śikṣā—ethical restraint in gṛhastha life as a foundation for all ritual and spiritual practice.