Shloka 38
Karmas Leading to Hell and Heaven
Ethical Catalog of Destinies
ये नामभागान्कुर्वंति क्षुत्तृष्णा श्रमपीडिताः । हंतकारस्य कर्तारस्ते नराः स्वर्गगामिनः
ye nāmabhāgānkurvaṃti kṣuttṛṣṇā śramapīḍitāḥ | haṃtakārasya kartāraste narāḥ svargagāminaḥ
பசி, தாகம், களைப்பு ஆகியவற்றால் துன்புற்றாலும் தமக்குரிய நாம-பாகத்தை (புனித நாமஜபப் பங்கை) நிறைவேற்றுவோர் ‘ஹந்தகார’த்தின் கர்த்தராகி சுவர்க்கம் அடைவர்।
Unspecified (context not provided; verse presented standalone from Bhūmi-khaṇḍa 96)
Concept: Even under bodily distress, continuing one’s allotted sacred practice—especially nāma-related duty—elevates one to salvific agency and heaven.
Application: Keep a minimal daily vow of remembrance (japa, kīrtana, or a fixed number of names) even on difficult days; treat discomfort as a test of sincerity rather than a reason to abandon practice.
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A weary pilgrim, dust-covered and sun-struck, pauses on a long road yet continues to count prayer beads, lips moving in the Lord’s name. Above, a faint divine radiance forms a protective canopy, suggesting that the saving cry rises beyond bodily limits and becomes a bridge to heaven.","primary_figures":["devotee/pilgrim","Vishnu (subtle celestial presence)","attendant birds or deer (witnesses of endurance)"],"setting":"arid pilgrimage road with sparse trees, distant temple silhouette, and a small water pot nearly empty","lighting_mood":"divine radiance","color_palette":["sun-bleached sand","turquoise sky","saffron cloth","smoky violet shadows","radiant gold"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central exhausted pilgrim with japa-mālā, dramatic gold leaf aura descending from a small Viṣṇu form in the upper panel; rich saffron and crimson textiles, embossed gold highlights on beads and halo, ornate border with lotus and conch motifs symbolizing nāma’s protection.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: lyrical long-road scene with delicate brushwork; pilgrim under a pale sky, distant shrine on a hill, subtle glow indicating divine grace; cool shadows and refined facial expression showing resolve amid fatigue.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold outlines; pilgrim in dynamic posture, stylized sun and radiance, Viṣṇu emblematic presence with śaṅkha-cakra above; earthy reds/yellows/greens with rhythmic patterning to convey tapas.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: symbolic nāma-kīrtana composition—devotee with mālā surrounded by lotus and conch patterns; a central medallion of Viṣṇu; peacocks and floral borders; deep blue field with gold script-like motifs representing the saving utterance."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Durga","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"emotional","sound_elements":["steady hand-drum pulse","distant conch shell","wind over dry ground","footsteps on gravel","soft mantra undertone"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: नामभागान्कुर्वंति = नामभागान् कुर्वन्ति (न् + क् सन्धिः; IAST kurvaṃti = कुर्वन्ति)। कर्तारस्ते = कर्तारः ते (विसर्ग-सन्धिः)।
FAQs
It implies one’s allotted share or committed portion of nāma—regular recitation/chanting of the divine name as a vowed practice, performed even under hardship.
Perseverance in sacred duty (especially nāma-practice) despite bodily discomfort—hunger, thirst, and exhaustion—is praised as spiritually meritorious.
By elevating steadfast engagement with the divine Name as a direct cause of auspicious destiny (svarga), it underscores a bhakti-oriented valuation of nāma as a potent, accessible spiritual discipline.