Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell
अनुकम्पामिमामद्य नारकेष्विह कुर्वतः ।
तदेव शतसाहस्रं संख्यामुपगतं तव ॥
anukampām imām adya nārakeṣv iha kurvataḥ |
tad eva śatasāhasraṃ saṃkhyām upagataṃ tava ||
अद्यैवात्र नरकेषु स्थितेषु दयां कृत्वा, तदेव तव पुण्यं लक्षशतसंख्यां प्राप्तम्—लक्षगुणं वर्धितम्॥
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Compassion shown where suffering is most intense is portrayed as extraordinarily potent dharma. The text teaches that intention and context (relieving desperate pain) can magnify the fruit of merit far beyond routine virtue.
Ethical doctrine within narrative: it illustrates how dharma operates (phala-vāda) rather than presenting creation or dynastic lists; thus it is best cataloged as dharma-upadeśa in story form.
Naraka symbolizes the lowest vibrational states; compassion extended there indicates fearlessness and non-aversion. Esoterically, when compassion penetrates the darkest zones of experience, spiritual power (tejas/puṇya) expands dramatically.