Vamana Purana — Karmic Causes of Narakas, Shloka 20

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

Devanagari script

पायसं कृशरं मांसं वृथा भुक्तानि यैर्नरैः तेषामयोगुडास्तप्ताः क्षिप्यन्ते वदने ऽद्भुताः

Transliteration

pāyasaṃ kṛśaraṃ māṃsaṃ vṛthā bhuktāni yairnaraiḥ teṣāmayoguḍāstaptāḥ kṣipyante vadane 'dbhutāḥ

Translation

ଯେଉଁମାନେ ବୃଥାରେ (ଦେବାର୍ପଣ ବିନା) ପାୟସ, କୃଶର ଓ ମାଂସ ଭକ୍ଷଣ କରନ୍ତି, ସେମାନଙ୍କ ମୁଖରେ ଉତ୍ତପ୍ତ ଲୌହ ପିଣ୍ଡ ନିକ୍ଷେପ କରାଯାଏ ।

Word by Word

• पायसम्: rice-pudding / sweet milk-rice
• पायसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• कृशरम्: khichri / mixed rice dish
• कृशरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृशर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मांसम्: meat
• मांसम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मांस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वृथा: in vain / uselessly
• वृथा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वृथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• भुक्तानि: (things) eaten
• भुक्तानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘eaten/consumed’

• यैः: by whom
• यैः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; relative pronoun

• नरैः: by men
• नरैः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन; ‘of them’

• अयोगुडाः: iron balls (lumps)
• अयोगुडाः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अयस् (प्रातिपदिक) + गुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (अयः-गुडः = iron-ball), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तप्ताः: heated / red-hot
• तप्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying अयोगुडाः)

• क्षिप्यन्ते: are thrown
• क्षिप्यन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• वदने: in the mouth
• वदने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• अद्भुताः: terrible / astonishing
• अद्भुताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying अयोगुडाः)

Speakers

• Narrative frame likely Pulastya → Nārada; specific speaker not explicit in the excerpt

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Food ethics
• Karmaphala
• Naraka
• Ritual propriety (implied)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Food is not merely consumption but a moral act tied to gratitude, restraint, and (often) ritual context. ‘Vṛthā-bhojana’ here warns against waste, heedlessness, or indulgence divorced from dharma—implying that misuse of sustenance incurs grave demerit.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

It functions as dharma-śikṣā embedded in cosmological narrative (naraka descriptions). While not one of the five core genealogical/cosmic headings by itself, it is commonly housed within sarga/pratisarga-style cosmography and moral instruction sections.

What is the symbolic significance?

The mouth receiving heated iron balls mirrors the misuse of the mouth (overindulgence, waste, irreverent eating). The punishment is a reversal: what was sought as pleasure through taste becomes the instrument of pain.