Vamana Purana — Karmic Causes of Narakas, Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

मित्रजायाथ जननी ज्येष्ठो भ्राता पिता स्वसा जामयो गुरवो वृद्धा यैः संस्पृष्टाः पदा नृभिः

Transliteration

mitrajāyātha jananī jyeṣṭho bhrātā pitā svasā jāmayo guravo vṛddhā yaiḥ saṃspṛṣṭāḥ padā nṛbhiḥ

Translation

ଯେ ପୁରୁଷମାନଙ୍କ ପାଦସ୍ପର୍ଶ ମିତ୍ରର ସ୍ତ୍ରୀ, ନିଜ ମାତା, ଜ୍ୟେଷ୍ଠ ଭ୍ରାତା, ପିତା, ଭଗିନୀ, ଜାମୟ (ଭାଉଜମାନେ), ଗୁରୁଜନ ଓ ବୃଦ୍ଧଜନଙ୍କୁ ହୁଏ, ସେମାନେ ଘୋର ଅନୁଚିତତାର ଦୋଷୀ।

Word by Word

• mitra-jāyā: a friend’s wife
• mitra-jāyā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mitra (प्रातिपदिक) + jāyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; समासः—मित्रस्य जायाः (genitive tatpuruṣa)

• atha: and/then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (अनन्तर/समुच्चय)

• jananī: mother
• jananī: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jananī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• jyeṣṭhaḥ: the elder (brother)
• jyeṣṭhaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyeṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; used substantively ‘elder (brother)’

• bhrātā: brother
• bhrātā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhrātṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• pitā: father
• pitā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• svasā: sister
• svasā: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svasṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• jāmayaḥ: in-laws/affines
• jāmayaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘relatives by marriage/affines’

• guravaḥ: elders/teachers
• guravaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• vṛddhāḥ: old people/elders
• vṛddhāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; adjective used substantively

• yaiḥ: by whom
• yaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; relative pronoun

• saṃspṛṣṭāḥ: touched/defiled by contact
• saṃspṛṣṭāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-√spṛś (धातु) → saṃspṛṣṭa (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; past passive participle (क्त), agreeing with the list of persons

• padā: with the foot
• padā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; ‘by the foot’

• nṛbhiḥ: by men
• nṛbhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt (dialogue layer not directly visible here)

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Respect for elders and teachers
• Household/social propriety
• Aśauca/impurity by improper contact

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Dharma is enacted through embodied respect: using the foot—symbol of lowliness and domination—as a point of contact with revered persons or protected relations is treated as a serious breach of maryādā (social-ethical boundary).

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This is conduct-regulation (ācāra/dharma) inserted within Purāṇic teaching; it is ancillary to the five-lakṣaṇa framework but serves the Purāṇa’s pedagogical function.

What is the symbolic significance?

The foot signifies pride and transgression of hierarchy; the list (mother, father, guru, elders) encodes the dharmic axis of reverence, while ‘friend’s wife’ and ‘sisters-in-law’ highlight boundaries protecting social trust and sexual ethics.