Shloka 76

Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell

Sanskrit

तस्माद्यत् सुकृतं किञ्चिन्ममास्ति त्रिदशाधिप ।

तेन मुच्यन्तु नरकात् पापिनो यातनां गताः ॥

Transliteration

tasmād yat sukṛtaṃ kiñcin mamāsti tridaśādhipa | tena mucyantu narakāt pāpino yātanāṃ gatāḥ ||

Translation

“ດັ່ງນັ້ນ ໂອ ພຣະເຈົ້າແຫ່ງທວງເທວະສາມສິບ (ອິນທຣາ) ໂດຍກຸສົນນ້ອຍໆທີ່ຂ້າພະເຈົ້າມີ ຂໍໃຫ້ບັນດາຄົນບາບຜູ້ຕົກຢູ່ໃນທຸກຂ໌ທໍລະມານ ໄດ້ຖືກປ່ອຍພົ້ນຈາກນະລົກ.”

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore/from that
• tasmāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• yat: whatever
• yat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; relative pronoun

• sukṛtam: merit/good deed
• sukṛtam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular

• kiñcit: some (little)
• kiñcit: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiñcit (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Indefinite pronoun (अनिश्चित-सर्वनाम), Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular

• mama: of me/my
• mama: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• asti: is/exists
• asti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्/present), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Singular; Parasmaipada

• tridaśa-adhipa: O lord of the gods
• tridaśa-adhipa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tridaśa (प्रातिपदिक) + adhipa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: ‘अधिपः त्रिदशानाम्’

• tena: by that (merit)
• tena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• mucyantu: let (them) be freed
• mucyantu: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: Loṭ-lakāra (लोट्/imperative), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Plural; Ātmanepada

• narakāt: from hell
• narakāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular

• pāpinaḥ: sinners
• pāpinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• yātanām: torment/punishment
• yātanām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yātanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• gatāḥ: having gone (to)/subjected to
• gatāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त/भूतकर्मणि), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; used adjectivally with pāpinaḥ

Speakers

• King addressing Indra

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Indra

Key Themes

• Compassion
• Dedication of merit
• Intercession
• Royal virtue
• Karmic economy

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse elevates compassion above self-enjoyment: the king prefers the relief of others to his own reward. It also reflects a Purāṇic acceptance of merit being dedicated for others’ welfare, especially through the intention of a righteous person.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ethical/dharmic instruction within narrative; indirectly supports vaṃśānucarita-type royal exemplarity (how a king ought to act), though not a genealogy passage itself.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘transfer of merit’ symbolizes non-possessiveness of puṇya: merit is perfected when it becomes universalized through compassion, mirroring the sattvic ideal of loka-saṅgraha (holding the world together).