Shloka 64

Adhyaya 14 — The Messenger of Yama Explains Karmic Retribution and the Causes of Naraka Torments

Sanskrit

तेषामयोमयान् कीलानग्निवर्षान् पुनः पुनः ।

कर्णेषु प्रेरयन्त्येते याम्या विलपतामपि ॥

Transliteration

teṣām ayo-mayān kīlān agni-varṣān punaḥ punaḥ /

karṇeṣu prerayanty ete yāmyā vilapatām api

Translation

Pour eux, les hommes de Yama enfoncent sans cesse dans leurs oreilles des pointes de fer, faisant pleuvoir le feu, tandis qu’ils gémissent et hurlent.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• अयःमयान्: made of iron
• अयःमयान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अयस् + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अयःमय = iron-made); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (Plural)

• कीलान्: spikes, nails
• कीलान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कील (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अग्निवर्षान्: showers of fire
• अग्निवर्षान्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अग्निवर्ष = rain of fire); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• कर्णेषु: in (their) ears
• कर्णेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/सप्तमी), बहुवचन (Plural)

• प्रेरयन्ति: they drive/impel
• प्रेरयन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + ईर्/इर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• एते: these (ones)
• एते: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• याम्याः: the Yāmyās (messengers of Yama)
• याम्याः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition to एते)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural)

• विलपताम्: of (those) lamenting
• विलपताम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + लप् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present participle/शतृ), परस्मैपद; षष्ठी-बहुवचन (Genitive plural) used as ‘of those who are lamenting’

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: समुच्चय/अवधारण (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), निपात (particle)

Speakers

• Naraka narration; Yamadūtas active

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Yama

Key Themes

• Karma-phala
• Naraka
• Ethics of listening
• Consequences of assent

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The ear that delighted in adharma becomes the channel of suffering. The text emphasizes guarding what one consumes through hearing—company and discourse shape karma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma/ācāra instruction via naraka imagery; not a pancalakṣaṇa core item.

What is the esoteric significance?

Ears symbolize receptivity. ‘Iron spikes’ represent hardened wrong views (dṛḍha-mati) forcibly lodged by repeated indulgence in slander.