Shloka 3
Karmas Leading to Hell and Heaven
Ethical Catalog of Destinies
नास्तिका भिन्नमर्यादाः कंदर्पविषयोन्मुखाः । दांभिकाश्च कृतघ्नाश्च ते वै निरयगामिनः
nāstikā bhinnamaryādāḥ kaṃdarpaviṣayonmukhāḥ | dāṃbhikāśca kṛtaghnāśca te vai nirayagāminaḥ
Les impies, qui franchissent les justes limites, tournés vers la convoitise et les objets des sens, hypocrites et ingrats, vont assurément en enfer.
Unspecified (narrative voice within Bhūmi-khaṇḍa Adhyaya 96; likely within the Pulastya–Bhīṣma dialogue frame common to the Padma Purāṇa)
Concept: Atheism that rejects moral order, transgression of boundaries, lust for sense-objects, hypocrisy, and ingratitude are hell-leading dispositions.
Application: Practice gratitude daily; reduce sense-indulgence; align public persona with private conduct; keep clear personal ‘maryada’ (ethical boundaries).
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A symbolic procession of figures moves toward a shadowed gate: one tears down boundary-stones marked ‘maryādā’, another is pulled by a red ribbon of desire toward glittering sense-objects, while a third wears a saintly mask that slips to reveal a darker face—ingratitude shown as a broken offering bowl. Above, an unseen divine eye watches, not wrathful but inexorable.","primary_figures":["Allegorical transgressors (nāstika, dambhika, kṛtaghna)","Symbolic ‘Dharma’ boundary-stones"],"setting":"A liminal crossroads with boundary markers, a marketplace of temptations, and a distant dark gate representing niraya.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["charcoal black","blood red","cold silver","dusty violet","pale ochre"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: allegorical moral tableau with gold-leaf accents on tempting objects (jewels, wine-cups, perfumes) contrasted against a darkened path; figures with theatrical masks (hypocrisy) and broken offering vessels (ingratitude), ornate border, stylized gate of niraya, gold leaf used sparingly to heighten the seduction-versus-doom contrast.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: a refined allegory at a forest-crossroads—small figures with expressive gestures, one pushing aside carved boundary-stones, another reaching toward sensual objects; cool nocturnal palette, delicate brushwork, distant hills and a faint temple silhouette as the forsaken refuge.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines and symbolic motifs—thorn-vines around sense-objects, mask imagery for dambha, broken kalasha for krtaghna; strong reds and blacks with yellow highlights, temple-wall composition with patterned bands.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: moralized pichwai with lotus borders inverted—some lotuses blooming near a faint Vishnu-symbol (shankha-chakra) and others withering near the niraya gate; intricate floral frames, deep indigo background, gold linework emphasizing the pull of kama and the rupture of gratitude."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"dramatic","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"fast-dramatic","voice_tone":"authoritative","sound_elements":["wind gusts","distant thunder","temple bell (single strikes)","ominous silence between phrases"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: दांभिकाश्च = दाम्भिकाः + च; कृतघ्नाश्च = कृतघ्नाः + च.
FAQs
It condemns denial of dharma (nāstikya), breaking moral boundaries (bhinna-maryādā), being driven by lust and sense-pleasures (kandarpa-viṣaya-onmukha), hypocrisy (dāmbhika), and ingratitude (kṛtaghna).
In Purāṇic usage, nāstika often includes not only doctrinal denial of God/afterlife/karma but also rejection of dharma in practice; the verse reinforces this by pairing nāstika with concrete ethical failings.
A life ruled by unchecked desire, hypocrisy, and ingratitude—together with disregard for dharma—leads to harmful consequences; the verse frames this as a karmic trajectory toward naraka (niraya).