Vamana Purana — Sukesha's Boon & Twelve Dharmas, Shloka 51

Sukesha’s Boon, the Twelve Dharmas of Beings, and the Cosmography of the Seven Dvipas with the Twenty-One Hells

Devanagari script

द्वे सहस्रे योजनानां ज्वलिताङ्गारविस्तृते रौरवो नाम नरकः प्रथमः परिकीर्त्तितः

Transliteration

dve sahasre yojanānāṃ jvalitāṅgāravistṛte rauravo nāma narakaḥ prathamaḥ parikīrttitaḥ

Translation

二千ヨージャナにわたり、燃えさかる炭火が広がる地獄――「ラウラヴァ（Raurava）」と名づけられるそれが、第一の地獄として宣言される。

Word by Word

• द्वे: two
• द्वे: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्वि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन; संख्या-विशेषण

• सहस्रे: (two) thousands
• सहस्रे: प्रमाण (Measure; extent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, द्विवचन

• योजनानाम्: of yojanas
• योजनानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive; ‘of yojanas’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ज्वलित-अङ्गार-विस्तृते: in (a place) spread with blazing coals
• ज्वलित-अङ्गार-विस्तृते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa; location-description)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वलित + अङ्गार + विस्तृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (locative qualifier)

• रौरवः: Raurava (name of a hell)
• रौरवः: कर्ता (Karta; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नाम: by name
• नाम: विशेषणार्थ-निपात (Naming particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle): naming/quotative ‘by name’

• नरकः: hell
• नरकः: समानााधिकरण (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रथमः: first
• प्रथमः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• परिकीर्तितः: is proclaimed/described
• परिकीर्तितः: क्रिया (Kriyā; predicate ‘is described’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-कीर्त् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग

Speakers

• Ṛṣis to Sukeśin (continuation of explanation)

Key Themes

• Infernal geography
• Moral deterrence through vivid imagery
• Cosmological measurement (yojana)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The vivid, measured description (embers, vast extent) functions as a deterrent and as reinforcement that harmful actions generate tangible suffering. The stress on scale emphasizes the seriousness of pāpa and the urgency of dharmic restraint and expiation.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is cosmographic detailing within the broader purāṇic world-map (supporting sarga/pratisarga-style description of realms). It is not a dynastic (vaṃśa) or royal narrative (vaṃśānucarita) unit.

What is the symbolic significance?

“Burning embers” symbolizes the fruition of heated passions—cruelty, anger, and violence—returning upon the agent. The quantified immensity (2,000 yojanas) conveys that the moral universe is vast and inescapable, not confined to human courts.