Shloka 7
संदंशः कृष्णसूत्रश्च तमश्चावीचिरेव च / श्वभोजनो ऽथाप्रतिष्ठोष्णवीचिर्नरकाः स्मृताः
saṃdaṃśaḥ kṛṣṇasūtraśca tamaścāvīcireva ca / śvabhojano 'thāpratiṣṭhoṣṇavīcirnarakāḥ smṛtāḥ
സന്ദംശ, കൃഷ്ണസൂത്ര, തമസ്, ആവീചി; അതുപോലെ ശ്വഭോജന, അപ്രതിഷ്ഠ, ഉഷ്ണവീചി—ഇവ നരകങ്ങളുടെ നാമങ്ങളായി സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു.
Lord Viṣṇu (in dialogue, instructing Garuḍa/Vinātā-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Naraka
Concept: Multiplicity of narakas implies specificity of karmic retribution and moral taxonomy.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-vicitra-phala (variegated results of action) within saṃsāra upheld by dharma.
Application: Use the teaching as ethical self-audit: identify harmful patterns and correct them through restraint, confession, and reparative conduct.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: naraka (hell-region)
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: further naraka descriptions and causes in surrounding chapters/verses
FAQs
This verse functions as a catalog entry: it preserves the traditional names of specific Narakas, reinforcing the Purāṇic teaching that actions have precise karmic consequences in Yama’s post-death order.
By naming multiple Narakas, it implies a differentiated post-mortem journey where the soul’s experiences are determined by karma, with distinct realms corresponding to distinct forms of suffering and correction.
Use it as a moral reminder: avoid harmful actions and cultivate dharma, since the text frames ethical causality as structured and inescapable—choices shape consequences beyond death.