Shloka 16

Adhyaya 13 — The Son’s Account of Hell and the Question of Unseen Sin

Sanskrit

पितृनिःश्वासविध्वस्तं सप्तजन्मार्जितं शुभम् ।

त्रिजन्मप्रभवं दैवो निःश्वासो हन्त्यसंशयम् ॥

Transliteration

pitṛniśvāsavidhvastaṃ saptajanmārjitaṃ śubham / trijanmaprabhavaṃ daivo niśvāso hantyasaṃśayam

Translation

‘Napas para Pitri’ menghancurkan jasa kebajikan yang terkumpul selama tujuh kelahiran; demikian pula ‘napas ilahi’ pasti menghancurkan kebajikan yang timbul dari tiga kelahiran—tanpa ragu.

Word by Word

• pitṛ-niḥśvāsa-vidhvastam: destroyed by the ancestors’ sigh
• pitṛ-niḥśvāsa-vidhvastam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक) + niḥśvāsa (प्रातिपदिक) + vidhvasta (कृदन्त, √dhvaṃs/vidhvaṃs)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) ‘पितॄणां निःश्वासेन विध्वस्तम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन (here agreeing with śubham, object)

• sapta-janma-arjitam: earned over seven births
• sapta-janma-arjitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sapta (संख्या) + janman (प्रातिपदिक) + arjita (कृदन्त, √arj)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (द्विगु/षष्ठीभाव) ‘सप्तजन्मसु अर्जितम्’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा एकवचन

• śubham: merit/good fortune
• śubham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• tri-janma-prabhavam: arising from three births
• tri-janma-prabhavam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (संख्या) + janman (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष ‘त्रिजन्मप्रभवम्’ = arising from three births; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• daivaḥ: divine
• daivaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular) qualifying niḥśvāsaḥ

• niḥśvāsaḥ: the sigh/breath
• niḥśvāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niḥśvāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन (Nominative singular)

• hanti: destroys
• hanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• asaṃśayam: undoubtedly
• asaṃśayam: Avyaya-bhāva (अव्ययभाव/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: a-saṃśaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययप्राय प्रयोग (adverbial accusative) = ‘without doubt’

Speakers

• Continuation of the Pitā–Putra dialogue (lament/causal explanation around Naraka)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Karma across births
• Pitṛ order and lineage
• Merit vs. demerit dynamics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse intensifies the warning: dharmic violations can have a ‘multiplier’ effect, wiping out long-accumulated merit. It underscores the Purāṇic view that karma is not linear bookkeeping; certain acts rupture the very supports of merit (especially those tied to gods and ancestors).

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Not a direct Pancalakṣaṇa unit; it belongs to dharma-nīti and karma-phala exposition within narrative dialogue.

What is the esoteric significance?

Numbers like seven and three suggest layered karmic ‘stores’ (sañcita) and indicate that subtle agencies (daiva/pitṛ) can dissolve karmic credit when the moral-cosmic network is offended.