Shloka 39

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

Sanskrit

दुष्टेन चक्षुषा दृष्टाः परदाराः नराधमैः ।

मानसेन च दुष्टेन परद्रव्यञ्च सस्पृहैः ॥

Transliteration

duṣṭena cakṣuṣā dṛṣṭāḥ paradārā narādhamaiḥ /

mānasena ca duṣṭena paradravyañ ca saspṛhaiḥ

Translation

他人の妻を穢れた眼で見、また穢れた心で他人の財を貪り求めた、かの最も卑しき人々—そのような罪には恐るべき報いが説き示される。

Word by Word

• दुष्टेन: with wicked
• दुष्टेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया (करण) एकवचनम्; instrumental singular; विशेषणम्

• चक्षुषा: with the eye
• चक्षुषा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्षुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; instrumental singular

• दृष्टाः: seen
• दृष्टाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्तः (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्; past passive participle used predicatively

• पर-दाराः: others' wives
• पर-दाराः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: परस्य दाराः); पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा बहुवचनम्

• नर-अधमैः: by the lowest of men
• नर-अधमैः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक) + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (कर्मधारयवत्/षष्ठीभावः: अधमा नराः); पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्; agent-instrumental

• मानसेन: with (their) mind
• मानसेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; instrumental singular; विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• दुष्टेन: wicked
• दुष्टेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; instrumental singular; विशेषणम्

• पर-द्रव्यम्: others' property
• पर-द्रव्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: परस्य द्रव्यम्); नपुंसकलिङ्गे द्वितीया एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्ययम् (conjunction)

• स-स्पृहैः: by the covetous
• स-स्पृहैः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्पृह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-पूर्वपद 'स-' (=सहित) युक्तः; पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया बहुवचनम्; instrumental plural; विशेषणम्

Speakers

• Within the Markandeya Purana’s didactic narration on karmic results (frame-speaker not explicit in the given excerpt)

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Karma and retribution
• Naraka descriptions
• Ethics of desire and restraint

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is violated not only by physical acts but also by intention and gaze: lustful looking (cakṣu-doṣa) and mental coveting (mānasa-doṣa) are treated as real moral faults producing heavy karmic consequences.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Primarily Dharma/ācāra instruction (not one of the strict five). It is ancillary teaching often embedded in Purāṇas alongside manvantara and vaṃśa material.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘eye’ and ‘mind’ are gateways of saṅkalpa (intention). When perception is poisoned by craving, the instruments of perception themselves become the locus of suffering—hence punishments targeting eyes and tongue in the following verses.