Shloka 32

Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell

Sanskrit

शाकहर्ता च हारीतस्तोयहर्ता च चातकः ।

भूर्हर्ता नरकान् गत्वा रौरवादीन् सुदारुणान् ॥

Transliteration

śākahartā ca hārītas toyahartā ca cātakaḥ | bhūhartā narakān gatvā rauravādīn sudāruṇān

Translation

காய்கறி/கீரை திருடுபவன் ‘ஹாரித’ (பச்சைப் பறவை) ஆகிறான்; நீர் திருடுபவன் ‘சாதக’ (மழைப் பறவை) ஆகிறான். ஆனால் நிலம் திருடுபவன் ரௌரவ முதலிய கொடிய நரகங்களில் சென்று கடும் துன்பம் அனுபவிக்கிறான்.

Word by Word

• śāka-hartā: one who steals vegetables/greens
• śāka-hartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāka (प्रातिपदिक) + hartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘śākaṃ harati’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable conjunction

• hārītaḥ: a green pigeon/parrot-like bird (hārīta)
• hārītaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; resultant form)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hārīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; bird-name

• toya-hartā: one who steals water
• toya-hartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: toya (प्रातिपदिक) + hartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘toyaṃ harati’

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Indeclinable conjunction

• cātakaḥ: a cātaka bird
• cātakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; resultant form)
• Type: Noun
• Root: cātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; bird-name

• bhū-hartā: one who steals land
• bhū-hartā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhū (प्रातिपदिक; ‘earth/land’) + hartṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘bhūmiṃ harati’

• narakān: hells
• narakān: Gati/Karma (गति/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; goal with gatvā

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriyā (क्रिया; pūrvakāla)
• Type: Verb
• Root: gam (धातु) + tvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा)

• raurava-ādīn: (hells) beginning with Raurava
• raurava-ādīn: Karma (कर्म; viśeṣaṇa of narakān)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raurava (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; tatpuruṣa ‘rauravaḥ ādiḥ yeṣām’ = ‘beginning with Raurava’

• su-dāruṇān: very dreadful
• su-dāruṇān: Karma (कर्म; viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + dāruṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; qualifies narakān; su- as intensifier

Speakers

• Not specified in input

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Karma
• Naraka doctrine
• Property ethics

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Theft of essentials (water) and commons (land) is treated as especially grave. Land theft is singled out for naraka-punishment, reflecting its broad harm: it destroys livelihood, lineage security, and social stability.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

This is a naraka/karma-vipāka ethical unit, not pañcalakṣaṇa cosmology or dynastic narration.

What is the esoteric significance?

Water symbolizes life-force and shared sustenance; stealing it yields birth as a creature defined by thirst for rain. Land symbolizes the ‘ground’ of dharma and order; violating it leads to descent into Raurava—an image of being uprooted from moral ground.