Vamana Purana — Karmic Causes of Narakas, Shloka 41

Karmic Causes of Narakas and the Irremediability of Ingratitude (Kṛtaghna-doṣa)

Devanagari script

दशवर्ष सहस्राणि तावत् तामिस्रके स्थिताः तावच्चैवान्धतामिस्रे असिपत्रवने ततः

Transliteration

daśavarṣa sahasrāṇi tāvat tāmisrake sthitāḥ tāvaccaivāndhatāmisre asipatravane tataḥ

Translation

അവർ പത്തായിരം വർഷം താമിസ്രയിൽ നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു; അതേ കാലം അന്ധതാമിസ്രയിൽ; തുടർന്ന് വാൾ-ഇലകളുള്ള വനമായ അസിപത്രവനത്തിലേക്ക് പോകുന്നു।

Word by Word

• दशवर्ष: of ten years
• दशवर्ष: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दश-वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन; समासः—द्विगु (दश वर्षाणि) विशेषण (of सहस्राणि)

• सहस्राणि: thousands
• सहस्राणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), बहुवचन

• तावत्: so much/that long
• तावत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/quantifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक (adverb of extent)

• तामिस्रके: in Tāmisraka (hell)
• तामिस्रके: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तामिस्रक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; नरकनाम

• स्थिताः: remain/are placed
• स्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तावत्: for that same duration
• तावत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/quantifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तावत् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; परिमाणवाचक

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• अन्धतामिस्रे: in Andhatāmisra (hell)
• अन्धतामिस्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्ध-तामिस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (अन्धं तामिस्रम्) नरकनाम

• असिपत्रवने: in the forest of sword-leaves
• असिपत्रवने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि-पत्र-वन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (असिपत्राणां वनम्)

• ततः: thereafter/from there
• ततः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अव्यय-प्रयोग (adverb) क्रम/अनन्तर (thereafter/from there)

Speakers

• Dialogue framework not stated in input (commonly Pulastya → Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa; uncertain here)

Key Themes

• Afterlife cosmology
• Naraka taxonomy
• Karmic duration (time-based retribution)
• Deterrence ethics

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Actions that undermine truth and ritual order are portrayed as generating extended, sequential suffering—emphasizing that karmic consequences can be prolonged and multi-staged rather than immediate or singular.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

As with many purāṇas, naraka descriptions function as dharma-upadeśa (ethical instruction) rather than the five primary marks; it is a didactic insertion supporting right conduct.

What is the symbolic significance?

Tāmisra/Andhatāmisra symbolize moral and cognitive darkness produced by deliberate deception; Asipatravana symbolizes the cutting, self-wounding nature of lies—harm returning upon the agent.