Vamana Purana — Karmic Causes of Narakas, Shloka 15

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

Devanagari script

एकसार्थप्रयातं ये पश्यन्तश्चार्थिनं नराः असंविभज्य भुञ्जन्ति ते यान्ति श्लेष्मभोजनम्

Transliteration

ekasārthaprayātaṃ ye paśyantaścārthinaṃ narāḥ asaṃvibhajya bhuñjanti te yānti śleṣmabhojanam

Translation

ಒಂದೇ ಸಾರ್ಥದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಸುತ್ತಾ ದೀನನನ್ನು ಕಂಡರೂ ಹಂಚಿಕೊಳ್ಳದೆ ತಾವೇ ಭೋಜನ ಮಾಡುವವರು ‘ಶ್ಲೇಷ್ಮಭೋಜನ’ ಎಂಬ ನರಕಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋಗುತ್ತಾರೆ.

Word by Word

• eka-sārtha-prayātam: one who has set out with a single caravan/company
• eka-sārtha-prayātam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + sārtha (प्रातिपदिक) + prayāta (कृदन्त, √yā प्र + क्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; past passive participle used adjectivally; समासः—एकसार्थे प्रयातम् (determinative)

• ye: who (those who)
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; relative pronoun

• paśyantaḥ: seeing
• paśyantaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु) → paśyat (कृदन्त, शतृ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; present active participle (शतृ), agreeing with ye/narāḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय)

• arthinam: a supplicant/beggar (one who seeks)
• arthinam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arthin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• narāḥ: men/people
• narāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• a-saṃvibhajya: without sharing/distributing
• a-saṃvibhajya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय) + saṃ-√vibhaj (धातु) → saṃvibhajya (कृदन्त, ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्), with privative a-; adverbial to bhuñjanti

• bhuñjanti: they eat/enjoy
• bhuñjanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present/लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural

• te: they
• te: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; demonstrative pronoun

• yānti: they go
• yānti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (Present/लट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural

• śleṣma-bhojanam: the eating of phlegm (a hellish food)
• śleṣma-bhojanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śleṣman (प्रातिपदिक) + bhojana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; समासः—श्लेष्मणः भोजनम् (genitive tatpuruṣa)

Speakers

• Not specified in input (likely within the Purāṇa’s standard narrator-to-inquirer dialogue)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Karma-phala
• Naraka (hells)
• Dāna (charity)
• Traveler/guest ethics

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Need encountered on the road creates an immediate duty of compassion: to eat in front of a supplicant without sharing violates dāna-dharma and the broader obligation to protect life through sustenance.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is dharma-upadeśa expressed through naraka-phala (results in hell). It supplements pancalakṣaṇa material by prescribing social/ethical conduct rather than describing creation, lineages, or manvantaras.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘Śleṣmabhojana’ (mucus as food) symbolizes the moral disgust of selfish consumption: food, meant to sustain and be shared, becomes a repulsive substitute when one refuses compassion.