Shloka 51

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

Sanskrit

किं मया कर्म तत्पुण्यं मर्त्यलोके महत्कृतम् ।

आह्लाददायिनी व्युष्टिर्येनेयं तदुदीरय ॥

Transliteration

kiṃ mayā karma tat puṇyaṃ martyaloke mahat kṛtam | āhlādadāyinī vyuṣṭir yeneyaṃ tad udīraya ||

Translation

‘മർത്ത്യലോകത്തിൽ ഞാൻ ഏതു മഹത്തായ പുണ്യകർമ്മം ചെയ്തു, അതിനാൽ ഈ ആനന്ദദായക ഫലം ഉദിച്ചുവന്നു? അത് എനിക്ക് പറയുക.’

Word by Word

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Interrogative accusative singular

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular

• कर्म: deed, action
• कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here accusative singular as object of 'udīraya' (tell)

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; demonstrative adjective qualifying 'कर्म'

• पुण्यम्: meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'कर्म'

• मर्त्यलोके: in the mortal world
• मर्त्यलोके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मर्त्य-लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; Locative singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'world of mortals'

• महत्: great
• महत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; adjective qualifying 'कर्म'

• कृतम्: done, performed
• कृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृत-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; 'done' qualifying 'कर्म'

• आह्लाददायिनी: joy-giving
• आह्लाददायिनी: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आह्लाद-दायिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular; तत्पुरुषः = 'giver of joy'

• व्युष्टिः: dawn, bright daybreak
• व्युष्टिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्युष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन; Instrumental singular 'by which'

• इयम्: this
• इयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (object of 'udīraya')

• उदीरय: tell, declare
• उदीरय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-ईर् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Imperative, 2nd person singular

Speakers

• King to Yamapuruṣa

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Yama (implied)

Key Themes

• Merit inquiry
• Cause-and-effect ethics
• Puṇya leading to relief for others

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is best understood concretely: identify which actions produce beneficial ‘spillover’ for beings, and prioritize those (service, hospitality, proper giving).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethical instruction within narrative; not a core pañcalakṣaṇa topic.

What is the esoteric significance?

The ‘joy-giving dawning’ suggests that puṇya can mature as a subtle aura (tejas) that affects environments and minds, not only the doer’s private fate.