Shloka 3

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

Sanskrit

गर्दभो जायते जन्तुः पित्रोश्चाप्यवमानकः ।

मातापितरावाक्रुश्य शारिका सम्प्रजायते ॥

Transliteration

gardabho jāyate jantuḥ pitroś cāpy avamānakaḥ /

mātāpitarāv ākruśya śārikā samprajāyate

Translation

പിതൃകളെ അപമാനിക്കുന്ന ജീവി കഴുതയായി ജനിക്കുന്നു. മാതാപിതാക്കളെ നിന്ദിക്കുന്നവൻ ശാരിക (മൈന) പക്ഷിയായി ജനിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• gardabhaḥ: a donkey
• gardabhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gardabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• jāyate: is born
• jāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (जन् धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

• jantuḥ: a creature
• jantuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jantu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• pitroḥ: of (his) parents (father and mother)
• pitroḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (पितृ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Dual (द्विवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• api: also
• api: Sambandha/Anvaya (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• avamānakaḥ: one who insults / a reviler
• avamānakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avamānaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• mātā-pitarau: mother and father (parents)
• mātā-pitarau: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mātṛ+pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Dual (द्विवचन)

• ākruśya: having abused / having shouted at
• ākruśya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√kruś (क्रुश् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/gerund (ल्यप्)

• śārikā: a myna bird
• śārikā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śārikā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• sam-prajāyate: is born (as)
• sam-prajāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-pra-√jan (जन् धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)

Speakers

• Yamakiṅkara

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Yama

Key Themes

• Pitṛ-dharma
• Filial duty
• Karmic rebirth
• Speech ethics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Respect toward parents and ancestors is foundational to dharma; abuse of speech against them is treated as a serious moral failure with tangible karmic consequences.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ethical/ritual instruction (especially pitṛ-related dharma), not the purāṇa’s five defining marks.

What is the esoteric significance?

The myna—known for mimicry and loud speech—fits the symbolism of harmful words returning as a birth defined by chatter; the donkey image suggests burden and dullness arising from disrespect of one’s roots.