Vamana Purana — Karmic Causes of Narakas, Shloka 49

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

Devanagari script

तेजस्विनां यद्वदिहार्क उक्तो ऋक्षेषु चन्द्रो जलधिर्ह्वदेषु भवान् यथा राक्षससत्तमेषु पाशेषु नागस्तिमितेषु बन्धः

Transliteration

tejasvināṃ yadvadihārka ukto ṛkṣeṣu candro jaladhirhvadeṣu bhavān yathā rākṣasasattameṣu pāśeṣu nāgastimiteṣu bandhaḥ

Translation

ດັ່ງທີ່ໃນບັນດາຜູ້ສ່ອງແສງ ພຣະອາທິດຖືກກ່າວວ່າເປັນສູງສຸດ; ໃນບັນດາດາວນັກສັດ ພຣະຈັນ; ໃນບັນດາຫວດ/ບຶງ ມະຫາສະໝຸດ. ດັ່ງທີ່ທ່ານເປັນຜູ້ເລີດໃນບັນດາຣາກສະສະຜູ້ປະເສີດ; ໃນບັນດາບາສະ (pāśa—ບ່ວງ/ບໍ່ງ) ນາຄະ (Nāga, ງູ) ເປັນປະທານ; ແລະໃນບັນດາສິ່ງທີ່ນິ່ງສະຫງົບ “ການຜູກມັດ” (bandha) ເປັນອັນເດັ່ນທີ່ສຸດ.

Word by Word

• तेजस्विनाम्: of the radiant ones
• तेजस्विनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तेजस्विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• यद्वत्: just as
• यद्वत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तुलनार्थक-निपात

• इह: here
• इह: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (here)

• अर्कः: sun
• अर्कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• उक्तः: is said/called
• उक्तः: Kriya (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थः: 'said/called'

• ऋक्षेषु: among stars/constellations
• ऋक्षेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• चन्द्रः: moon
• चन्द्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• जलधिः: ocean
• जलधिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलधि (प्रातिपदिक: जल + धि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'जलस्य धिः/निधिः'

• ह्वदेषु: among pools/lakes
• ह्वदेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ह्वद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• भवान्: you (honorific)
• भवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक; सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; आदरार्थक-प्रयोग (honorific 'you')

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/तुलना)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमानार्थक

• राक्षस-सत्तमेषु: among the best of rākṣasas
• राक्षस-सत्तमेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'राक्षसानां सत्तमेषु'

• पाशेषु: among snares/bonds
• पाशेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• नागः: serpent
• नागः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• तिमितेषु: among the still/quiet (ones/places)
• तिमितेषु: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तिमित (प्रातिपदिक; PPP from तिम्/तिमित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifier of implied 'जल/समुद्र' or 'स्थानेषु': 'still/quiet')

• बन्धः: bond / binding
• बन्धः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बन्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speakers

• Likely Pulastya to Nārada
• or a narrator praising an interlocutor; direct addressee ‘bhavān’ suggests a laudatory address (exact speaker/addressee not explicit in excerpt)

Primary Deities

• Sūrya (Arka)
• Candra

Key Themes

• Praise by analogy
• Cosmic hierarchy
• Didactic rhetoric

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

{ "primaryRasa": "vira", "secondaryRasa": "adbhuta", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The verse uses ranked exemplars to teach discernment (viveka): within any domain there is a ‘principal’ that sets the standard; the listener is urged to recognize what is truly primary in a given sphere.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It is rhetorical/didactic praise rather than sarga/pratisarga/vaṃśa/manvantara/vaṃśānucarita proper; it likely serves as an introductory or transitional stuti within the chapter’s instruction.

What is the symbolic significance?

Sun/Moon/ocean symbolize unsurpassed centrality in their respective systems; the final ‘bandha’ image hints that bondage is the defining feature of inert existence—implicitly motivating the pursuit of liberating knowledge aligned with higher authority.