Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 12, Shloka 26
Adhyaya 12 — The Son Describes the Narakas: Mahāraurava, Tamas, Nikṛntana, Apratiṣṭha, Asipatravana, and Taptakumbha
प्रपतन्ति सदा तत्र प्राणिनो नरकौकसः ।
तन्मध्ये च वनं रम्यं स्निग्धपत्रं विभाव्यते ॥
prapatanti sadā tatra prāṇino narakaukasaḥ | tanmadhye ca vanaṃ ramyaṃ snigdhapatraṃ vibhāvyate ||
नरके वसन्तः सत्त्वाः सततं तत्र पतन्ति; तस्य मध्ये च मनोहरं वनं दृश्यते, स्निग्धैः सघनैः पल्लवैः शोभितम्।
{ "primaryRasa": "bhayanaka", "secondaryRasa": "karuna", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }
FAQs
The ‘pleasant forest’ amid torment warns that craving and misperception persist even in suffering; ethical clarity must be cultivated before consequences ripen.
Serves as dharma-oriented instruction (karmaphala) rather than sarga/pratisarga etc.; Purāṇas often embed such warnings as practical ethics.
The attractive grove represents sense-objects (viṣaya) that appear soothing but conceal harm—an allegory for māyā-like misreading of appearances.