Shloka 11

The Glory of Prayāga: Merit of Bathing, Remembrance, and Divine Protection

Devanagari script

अधर्मेण वृतो लोके नैव गच्छति तत्पदम् । स्वल्पमल्पतरं पापं यदा तस्य नराधिप

Transliteration

adharmeṇa vṛto loke naiva gacchati tatpadam | svalpamalpataraṃ pāpaṃ yadā tasya narādhipa

Translation

ഹേ നരാധിപാ! ഈ ലോകത്തിൽ അധർമ്മം മൂടിയവൻ ആ പരമപദം പ്രാപിക്കുകയില്ല. അവന്റെ പാപം അല്പം—അതിയല്പമായാലും പോലും അത് തടസ്സമാകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• अधर्मेण: by unrighteousness
• अधर्मेण: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• वृतः: covered/encircled
• वृतः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृत (वृ धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृत् (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• लोके: in the world
• लोके: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• एव: indeed/at all
• एव: Nipata (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• गच्छति: goes/attains
• गच्छति: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तत्पदम्: that state/that abode
• तत्पदम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (तत् + पदम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• स्वल्पम्: small
• स्वल्पम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (पापम्-विशेषण)

• अल्पतरम्: smaller/still less
• अल्पतरम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अल्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तरप्-प्रत्यय (comparative)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• यदा: when
• यदा: Kriya-visheshana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यदा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक (temporal conjunction/adverb: 'when')

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• नराधिप: O king (lord of men)
• नराधिप: Sambodhana (Address/सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नराधिप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासः (नराणाम् अधिपः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

Speaker

Unspecified (contextual speaker not provided in the input excerpt)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: नैव → न + एव; तत्पदम् → तत् + पदम्; स्वल्पमल्पतरम् → स्वल्पम् + अल्पतरम् (अनुस्वार-सन्धि/म् + अ).

FAQs

What is the central ethical teaching of this verse?

It teaches that adharma (unrighteous conduct) blocks attainment of the highest goal, and that even seemingly minor wrongdoing can become an obstacle to spiritual progress.

What does “tatpadam” mean here?

“Tatpadam” literally means “that state/that abode.” In this context it indicates the supreme destination or highest spiritual attainment, contrasted with a life covered by adharma.

Why does the verse mention “even very small sin”?

It emphasizes moral and spiritual sensitivity: small faults still carry karmic weight and can hinder one’s movement toward the highest good unless corrected through dharmic living and purification.