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

கூடசபையின் உறுப்பினர்களாய், அசுத்தராய், நித்தியமும் நைமித்திகமும் ஆகிய கர்மங்களை அழிப்போரும் தடுப்போரும், பொய்ச் சாட்சியம் அளிப்போரும்—அவர்கள் ‘மஹாரௌரவ’ எனப்படும் மகா நரகத்தில் வாசிக்கின்றனர்।

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.