Shloka 19

Nārada–Vāyu–Śalmali Upākhyāna: Enmity with the Strong and the Primacy of Buddhi (नारद-वायु-शल्मलि उपाख्यानम्)

Devanagari script

“वहाँ लोहेके समान चोंचवाले गीध और मोर तुझे नोच-नोचकर पीड़ा देंगे और उसके बाद भी नरकसे लौटनेपर तुझे किसी पापयोनिमें ही जन्म लेना पड़ेगा ।।

Transliteration

yad idaṃ manyase rājan nāyam asti kutaḥ paraḥ | pratismārayitāras tvāṃ yamadūtā yamakṣaye ||

Translation

ଭୀଷ୍ମ କହିଲେ—ହେ ରାଜନ! ଯଦି ତୁ ଭାବୁଛୁ—‘ଏହି ଲୋକରେ ପାପର ଫଳ ଦେଖାଯାଉନାହିଁ, ତେବେ ପରଲୋକ କେଉଁଠି?’—ତେବେ ଜାଣ: ଯମଲୋକକୁ ପହଞ୍ଚିଲେ ଯମଙ୍କ ଧାମରେ ଯମଦୂତମାନେ ତୋ କର୍ମ ଓ ତାହାର ଫଳ ସବୁ ତୋତେ ସ୍ମରଣ କରାଇଦେବେ।

Word by Word

• यत्: that (which)
• यत्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: यद्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• मन्यसे: you think/suppose
• मन्यसे: Karta
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (मन्यते)
• Form: Present, Second, Singular, Atmanepada, Indicative

• राजन्: O king
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन्
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• न: not
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न

• अयम्: this (one/thing)
• अयम्: Karta
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: इदम्
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• अस्ति: is/exists
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस्
• Form: Present, Third, Singular, Parasmaipada, Indicative

• कुतः: whence? how then?
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कुतस्

• परः: another; beyond (i.e., the other world)
• परः: Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्रतिस्मारयितारः: reminders; those who will remind
• प्रतिस्मारयितारः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रतिस्मारयितृ
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: युष्मद्
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• यमदूताः: Yama's messengers
• यमदूताः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमदूत
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• यमक्षये: in Yama's abode (in the realm of Yama)
• यमक्षये: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: यमक्षय
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

Speaker

भीष्म उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Bhishma
• King (rājan)
• Yama
• Yamadūtas
• Yamaloka (Yama’s realm)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Moral causality is not limited to what is immediately visible in this life; even if punishment is not seen here, accountability continues beyond death, where one is confronted with one’s deeds and their results.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhishma addresses a king who doubts the existence of the next world because he does not observe instant retribution for wrongdoing; Bhishma counters that in Yama’s realm the messengers of Yama will remind him of his actions, implying inevitable post-mortem judgment.