Shloka 32

Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell

Sanskrit

शाकहर्ता च हारीतस्तोयहर्ता च चातकः ।

भूर्हर्ता नरकान् गत्वा रौरवादीन् सुदारुणान् ॥

Transliteration

śākahartā ca hārītas toyahartā ca cātakaḥ | bhūhartā narakān gatvā rauravādīn sudāruṇān

Translation

Le voleur de légumes devient hārīta (oiseau vert). Le voleur d’eau devient cātaka (l’oiseau de la pluie). Mais le voleur de terres, après être allé dans des enfers terribles tels que Raurava et d’autres, y souffre cruellement.

Word by Word

• śāka-hartā: one who steals vegetables/greens
• śāka-hartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāka (प्रातिपदिक) + hartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘śākaṃ harati’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable conjunction

• hārītaḥ: a green pigeon/parrot-like bird (hārīta)
• hārītaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; resultant form)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hārīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; bird-name

• toya-hartā: one who steals water
• toya-hartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक) + hartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘toyaṃ harati’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable conjunction

• cātakaḥ: a cātaka bird
• cātakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; resultant form)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; bird-name

• bhū-hartā: one who steals land
• bhū-hartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक; ‘earth/land’) + hartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘bhūmiṃ harati’

• narakān: hells
• narakān: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; goal with gatvā

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriyā (क्रिया; pūrvakāla)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा)

• raurava-ādīn: (hells) beginning with Raurava
• raurava-ādīn: Karma (कर्म; viśeṣaṇa of narakān)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raurava (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; tatpuruṣa ‘rauravaḥ ādiḥ yeṣām’ = ‘beginning with Raurava’

• su-dāruṇān: very dreadful
• su-dāruṇān: Karma (कर्म; viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; qualifies narakān; su- as intensifier

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Karma
• Naraka doctrine
• Property ethics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Theft of essentials (water) and commons (land) is treated as especially grave. Land theft is singled out for naraka-punishment, reflecting its broad harm: it destroys livelihood, lineage security, and social stability.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is a naraka/karma-vipāka ethical unit, not pañcalakṣaṇa cosmology or dynastic narration.

What is the esoteric significance?

Water symbolizes life-force and shared sustenance; stealing it yields birth as a creature defined by thirst for rain. Land symbolizes the ‘ground’ of dharma and order; violating it leads to descent into Raurava—an image of being uprooted from moral ground.