Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 10

Naraka-varṇana: The Hellish Planets and the Karmic Logic of Punishment

Devanagari script

यस्त्विह वा एतदहमिति ममेदमिति भूतद्रोहेण केवलं स्वकुटुम्बमेवानुदिनं प्रपुष्णाति स तदिह विहाय स्वयमेव तदशुभेन रौरवे निपतति ॥ १० ॥

Transliteration

yas tv iha vā etad aham iti mamedam iti bhūta-droheṇa kevalaṁ sva-kuṭumbam evānudinaṁ prapuṣṇāti sa tad iha vihāya svayam eva tad-aśubhena raurave nipatati.

Translation

ଯେଉଁ ବ୍ୟକ୍ତି ନିଜ ଶରୀରକୁ ଆତ୍ମା ବୋଲି ମାନି 'ମୁଁ ଏହି ଶରୀର' ଏବଂ 'ଏସବୁ ମୋର' ଭାବନାରେ ରହେ, ସେ ନିଜ ପରିବାରର ଭରଣପୋଷଣ ପାଇଁ ଦିନରାତି କଠିନ ପରିଶ୍ରମ କରେ। ନିଜକୁ ଓ ପରିବାରକୁ ପାଳିବା ପାଇଁ ସେ ଅନ୍ୟ ଜୀବମାନଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ହିଂସା ମଧ୍ୟ କରିପାରେ। ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ସମୟରେ ଏପରି ବ୍ୟକ୍ତିକୁ ନିଜ ଶରୀର ଓ ପରିବାର ଛାଡ଼ିବାକୁ ପଡ଼େ, ଏବଂ ଅନ୍ୟ ପ୍ରାଣୀମାନଙ୍କ ପ୍ରତି ଦ୍ୱେଷ ପାପ ଯୋଗୁଁ ତାକୁ 'ରୌରବ' ନାମକ ନର୍କରେ ପଡ଼ିବାକୁ ହୁଏ।

Synonyms

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (contrast)

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (here/in this world)

• vā: indeed/also
• vā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis/alternative)

• etat: this
• etat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quoted)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; deictic pronoun (in quotation)

• aham: I
• aham: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quoted)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• iti: thinking/‘thus’
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय

• mama: my
• mama: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th case), एकवचन

• idam: this
• idam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quoted)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (in quotation)

• iti: thinking/‘thus’
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-समाप्तिसूचक अव्यय

• bhūta-droheṇa: by harming living beings
• bhūta-droheṇa: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + droha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘harm/treachery toward beings’

• kevalam: only
• kevalam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kevala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण नपुंसक-द्वितीया-एकवचन (adverbial accusative)

• sva-kuṭumbam: his own family
• sva-kuṭumbam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + kuṭumba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय ‘one’s own family’

• eva: alone
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (restriction)

• anudinam: day by day
• anudinam: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anu (अव्यय/उपसर्ग) + dina (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-अव्यय (daily; ‘following each day’)

• prapuṣṇāti: nourishes/maintains
• prapuṣṇāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√puṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘that (body/life)’ implied object of vihāya

• iha: here
• iha: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iha (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• vihāya: having abandoned
• vihāya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√hā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund) = ‘having abandoned’

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अव्यय (reflexive adverb)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• tat-aśubhena: by that sin
• tat-aśubhena: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम) + aśubha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष ‘by that sin/inauspicious deed’

• raurave: into Raurava
• raurave: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; hell-name

• nipatati: falls
• nipatati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-√pat (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Purport

In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said:

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about living in “I” and “mine” (aham mameti)?

This verse states that identifying with “I” and “mine” can drive a person to harm other beings for personal and family maintenance, and such sinful acts lead to suffering—specifically a fall into Raurava hell.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī describe Raurava naraka in Canto 5 Chapter 26?

Śukadeva explains the consequences of sinful, exploitative living so that King Parīkṣit (and listeners) develop detachment from wrongdoing and cultivate dharma and devotion instead of selfish violence.

Practical application: how can I avoid the “aham mameti” mentality in modern life?

Earn and maintain family life without harming others, reduce exploitation, practice compassion toward all beings, and consciously remember that everything belongs to the Lord—replacing possessiveness with stewardship and devotion.