Shloka 3

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

Sanskrit

वैदर्भो तव या पत्नी पीवरी नाम नामतः ।

ऋतुमत्याः ऋतुर्वन्ध्यस्त्वया तस्याः कृतः पुरा ॥

Transliteration

vaidarbho tava yā patnī pīvarī nāma nāmataḥ / ṛtumatyā ṛturvandhyastvayā tasyāḥ kṛtaḥ purā

Translation

ヴィダルバ出身の汝の妃、名をピーヴァリーという者が—受胎に適う正しい季節（ṛtu）にあったとき—汝は遠い昔、そのṛtuを犯して彼女を「ṛtuにおいて不妊」としたのである。

Word by Word

• vaidarbhaḥ: the man of Vidarbha (Vaidarbha)
• vaidarbhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaidarbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• tava: your
• tava: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• yā: who
• yā: Visheshya (विशेष्य/relative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• patnī: wife
• patnī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• pīvarī: (named) Pīvarī
• pīvarī: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pīvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; नाम (proper name)

• nāma: by name
• nāma: Nirdhāraṇa/Name-marker (नामनिर्देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; नामनिर्देशक (indeclinable, name-indicator)

• nāmataḥ: as to name; nominally
• nāmataḥ: Hetu/Prakāra (प्रकार/according to)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāmatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb)

• ṛtumatyāḥ: of the menstruating woman
• ṛtumatyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/of her)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtumatī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• ṛtuḥ: the season/period (menstrual period)
• ṛtuḥ: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṛtu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• vandhyaḥ: barren; made fruitless
• vandhyaḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vandhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• tvayā: by you
• tvayā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tasyāḥ: of her
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/of her)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• kṛtaḥ: was done/made
• kṛtaḥ: Karma-bhāva/Predicate (कर्मभाव/was made)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु) + kta (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• purā: formerly; earlier
• purā: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: purā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal adverb)

Speakers

• Yamakiṅkara speaking; addressing the king/householder

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Gṛhastha-dharma
• Sexual restraint and timing (ṛtu-dharma)
• Karmic consequence
• Marital duty

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Householder sexuality is framed as dharma-governed, not merely pleasure-governed. To obstruct or violate the rightful ṛtu is treated as harm to the procreative order and thus a serious ethical breach.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ācāra/dharma instruction within narrative; not part of sarga/pratisarga/manvantara/vaṃśa/vaṃśānucarita.

What is the esoteric significance?

Ṛtu symbolizes cosmic timing and harmony (ṛta). Violating ṛtu represents acting against the rhythm of dharma—hence the ‘small’ act becomes metaphysically weighty.