Vamana Purana — Karmic Causes of Narakas, Shloka 27

Karmic Causes of Narakas and the Irremediability of Ingratitude (Kṛtaghna-doṣa)

Devanagari script

शरणागतं ये त्यजन्ति ये च बन्धनपालकाः पतन्ति यन्त्रपीडे ते ताड्य मानास्तु किङ्करैः

Transliteration

śaraṇāgataṃ ye tyajanti ye ca bandhanapālakāḥ patanti yantrapīḍe te tāḍya mānāstu kiṅkaraiḥ

Translation

帰依して庇護を求めた者を見捨てる者、また獄吏・拘禁の守り手として残虐に振る舞う者は、器具による責め苦に堕ち、使者たちに打たれる。

Word by Word

• शरणागतम्: one who has sought refuge
• शरणागतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण+आगत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक); √गम् (धातु) + क्त (past participle)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle) 'आगत' ; तत्पुरुषः: शरणम् आगतः

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• त्यजन्ति: abandon
• त्यजन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ये: who (and those who)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• बन्धनपालकाः: jailers, keepers of prisoners
• बन्धनपालकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्धन+पालक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः: बन्धनस्य पालकः (keeper of bonds/prison)

• पतन्ति: fall
• पतन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• यन्त्रपीडे: in mechanical torture
• यन्त्रपीडे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यन्त्र+पीड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः: यन्त्रे पीडा (torture by/in a device)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ताड्यमानाः: being beaten
• ताड्यमानाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ताड् (धातु) + य (यत्/यक्) + शानच् (present passive participle)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-वर्तमानकृदन्त (present passive participle)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• किङ्करैः: by servants (of Yama)
• किङ्करैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचन

Speakers

• Dialogue framework not explicit in the provided excerpt; commonly Pulastya → Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa

Key Themes

• Śaraṇāgati (duty to protect refugees)
• Justice and custodial ethics
• Pāpa-phala (karmic retribution)
• Non-cruelty (ahiṃsā) in governance

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Protecting the refuge-seeker is a high dharma across epic-purāṇic ethics; rejecting them is treated as severe adharma. Likewise, authority over prisoners demands restraint and compassion; cruelty under the guise of ‘guardianship’ is condemned.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is an upadeśa/dharma passage on moral conduct and consequences, not a primary pancalakṣaṇa narrative unit. It serves as normative ethics embedded within the purāṇic frame.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Yantra’ (instruments) externalize the inner ‘mechanization’ of cruelty—treating persons as objects. Being beaten by kiṅkaras mirrors misuse of power: one who harms the powerless is subjected to overpowering force.