Shloka 78
Post-cremation Ripening of Karma and the Principal Narakas
दिनेदिने तु नरके पच्यते दह्यतेन्यतः / शीर्यते भिद्यते ऽन्यत्र चूर्यते क्लिद्यतेन्यतः
dinedine tu narake pacyate dahyatenyataḥ / śīryate bhidyate 'nyatra cūryate klidyatenyataḥ
ദിവസംതോറും നരകത്തിൽ പാപി എവിടെയോ വേവിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു, മറ്റെവിടെയോ ദഹിപ്പിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു; മറ്റൊരു സ്ഥലത്ത് ഉണങ്ങി ക്ഷയിക്കുന്നു, മറ്റൊരിടത്ത് പിളർത്തപ്പെടുന്നു; എവിടെയോ ചതച്ച് പൊടിയാക്കപ്പെടുന്നു, മറ്റെവിടെയോ പുഴുകി പുണ്ണാകുന്നു।
Lord Vishnu (narrating to Garuda/Vinata-putra)
Afterlife Stage: Naraka
Concept: Papa ripens as repeated, varied suffering; karmic law is precise and unavoidable.
Vedantic Theme: Karma-bandhana and its experiential fruition in samsara; suffering as consequence of avidya-driven action.
Application: Restrain harmful acts, cultivate sattvic conduct, and adopt expiations/charity/devotion before death to avoid papa-phala.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa
Type: cosmic punitive region
Related Themes: Garuda Purana, Pretakalpa: naraka-varnana sequences describing graded torments and time-dilation; Garuda Purana: karma-phala catalogues leading from naraka to tiryak-janma
FAQs
This verse emphasizes the inevitability and variety of karmic consequences, portraying naraka as a realm where specific pains manifest according to one’s misdeeds.
In the Preta Kanda context, the departed being experiences results of karma in post-mortem realms; this verse highlights repeated, time-extended suffering that follows pāpa, motivating dharmic living and prescribed rites.
Use it as an ethical reminder: avoid harm and deception, practice restraint and compassion, and support dharmic conduct and ancestral rites to reduce negative karmic outcomes.