Shloka 39

The Legend of Hemakuṇḍala: Charity, Decline of the Sons, and Yama’s Judgment

Devanagari script

अपरः स्थाप्यतां स्वर्गेयत्र भोगा ह्यनुत्तमाः । कृतांताज्ञां ततः श्रुत्वा दूतैश्च क्षिप्रकारिभिः

Transliteration

aparaḥ sthāpyatāṃ svargeyatra bhogā hyanuttamāḥ | kṛtāṃtājñāṃ tataḥ śrutvā dūtaiśca kṣiprakāribhiḥ

Translation

“ଅନ୍ୟଜଣକୁ ସ୍ୱର୍ଗରେ ସ୍ଥାପନ କର; ସେଠାରେ ଭୋଗ ଅନୁତ୍ତମ।” କୃତାନ୍ତ (ଯମ)ଙ୍କ ଆଜ୍ଞା ଶୁଣି ଶୀଘ୍ରକାରୀ ଦୂତମାନେ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟରେ ଲାଗିଲେ।

Word by Word

• aparaḥ: another (person)
• aparaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक (pronoun-like)

• sthāpyatām: let (him) be placed
• sthāpyatām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (स्था धातु) + ṇic (causative)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग/आज्ञार्थे (passive/imperative sense): ‘let (him) be placed’

• svarge: in heaven
• svarge: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• yatra: where
• yatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yatra (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बन्ध-अव्यय/देशवाचक (relative adverb of place)

• bhogāḥ: enjoyments
• bhogāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधान/हेतौ (emphasis/indeed)

• anuttamāḥ: unsurpassed, excellent
• anuttamāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anuttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying ‘bhogāḥ’)

• kṛtānta-ājñām: the command of Yama (Death)
• kṛtānta-ājñām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛtānta (प्रातिपदिक) + ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘कृतान्तस्य आज्ञा’

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Kāla/Hetu (काल/हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), तस्मात्/ततः (from that/thereafter)

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having heard)

• dūtaiḥ: by messengers
• dūtaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• kṣipra-kāribhiḥ: by swift-acting (messengers)
• kṣipra-kāribhiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṣipra (प्रातिपदिक) + kārin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारय-प्रायः: ‘कṣipraṃ karoti iti’ (those who act quickly); विशेषण (qualifying ‘dūtaiḥ’)

Speaker

Narrative voice quoting/relaying Kṛtānta (Yama)’s instruction (exact dialogue pair not explicit in this single verse).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Geographic Context

Type: celestial_realm

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: svargeyatra → svarge yatra; hyanuttamāḥ → hi anuttamāḥ; kṛtāṃtājñāṃ → kṛtānta-ājñām; dūtaiśca → dūtaiḥ ca; kṣiprakāribhiḥ → kṣipra-kāribhiḥ

Characters & Entities

• Kṛtānta (Yama)

FAQs

What is the central idea of this verse?

It depicts Yama (Kṛtānta) issuing an order that someone be placed in heaven, emphasizing the administrative, karma-linked distribution of post-death results.

Who are the “swift-acting messengers” mentioned here?

They are Yama’s dūtas (messengers/attendants), portrayed as executing his commands promptly in the cosmic order of judgment and consequence.

What ethical lesson is implied by placing someone in heaven?

The verse implies that actions yield corresponding outcomes, and that merit can lead to heavenly enjoyment—reinforcing moral causality (karma-phala) within dharmic cosmology.