Vamana Purana — Karmic Causes of Narakas, Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

कूटसभ्यास्त्वशौचाश्च नित्यनैमित्तनाशकाः कूटसाक्ष्यप्रदा ये च ते महारौरवे स्थिताः

Transliteration

kūṭasabhyāstvaśaucāśca nityanaimittanāśakāḥ kūṭasākṣyapradā ye ca te mahāraurave sthitāḥ

Translation

ଯେମାନେ କୁଟସଭାର ସଭ୍ୟ, ଯେମାନେ ଅଶୁଚି, ଯେମାନେ ନିତ୍ୟ ଓ ନୈମିତ୍ତିକ କର୍ମକୁ ନାଶ କିମ୍ବା ବାଧା କରନ୍ତି, ଏବଂ ଯେମାନେ ମିଥ୍ୟା ସାକ୍ଷ୍ୟ ଦିଅନ୍ତି—ସେମାନେ ‘ମହାରୌରବ’ ନାମକ ମହା ନରକରେ ବସନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• कूटसभ्याः: dishonest/false assessors (members of an assembly)
• कूटसभ्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूट-सभ्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (कूटः सभ्यः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक

• अशौचाः: impure/unclean
• अशौचाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (of कूटसभ्याः)

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

• नित्यनैमित्तनाशकाः: destroyers of (rites) obligatory and occasional
• नित्यनैमित्तनाशकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य-नैमित्त-नाशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष (नित्यनैमित्तानां नाशकाः)

• कूटसाक्ष्यप्रदाः: givers of false testimony
• कूटसाक्ष्यप्रदाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूट-साक्ष्य-प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कूटं साक्ष्यं प्रददाति इति)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

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

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; निर्देश (demonstrative)

• महारौरवे: in (the hell) Mahāraurava
• महारौरवे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-रौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (महान् रौरवः)

• स्थिताः: are situated/abide
• स्थिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विधेय (predicate)

Speakers

• Dialogue framework not stated in input (commonly Pulastya → Nārada in Vāmana Purāṇa; uncertain here)

Key Themes

• Dharma-śāstra ethics
• Karma and retribution
• Truthfulness in legal/religious life
• Protection of ritual order (nitya/naimittika)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Flavour)

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

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Social dharma depends on truth in testimony and integrity in assemblies/courts; falsifying evidence and sabotaging obligatory rites is treated as a grave harm to both society and cosmic order (ṛta), hence severe karmic consequence.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana?

This passage aligns best with Dharma/karma-phala narration often embedded within Vamśānucarita or ancillary instruction; it is not strictly sarga/pratisarga, but an ethical-eschatological teaching (naraka-varṇana) supporting purāṇic dharma.

What is the symbolic significance?

‘False assembly’ and ‘false witness’ symbolize the collapse of truth (satya) that upholds yajña and social trust; Mahāraurava functions as a moral deterrent, marking the gravity of institutional corruption.