Shloka 16

Adhyaya 14 — The Messenger of Yama Explains Karmic Retribution and the Causes of Naraka Torments

Sanskrit

पुण्यापुण्ये हि पुरुषः पर्यायेण समश्नते ।

भुञ्जतश्च क्षयं याति पापं पुण्यमथापि वा ॥

Transliteration

puṇyāpuṇye hi puruṣaḥ paryāyeṇa samaśnate / bhuñjataś ca kṣayaṃ yāti pāpaṃ puṇyam athāpi vā //

Translation

మనిషి క్రమంగా పుణ్యమూ పాపమూ రెండింటి ఫలితాలను అనుభవిస్తాడు. అనుభవం (భోగం) వల్లనే పాపమో పుణ్యమో క్షయమవుతుంది.

Word by Word

• पुण्य-अपुण्ये: merit and demerit
• पुण्य-अपुण्ये: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + apuṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, द्विवचन; Accusative dual; द्वन्द्व (पुण्यं च अपुण्यं च)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis/causal nuance

• पुरुषः: a person
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; Nominative singular

• पर्यायेण: in alternation
• पर्यायेण: Prakāra (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paryāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणार्थे तृतीया-एकवचन (instrumental used adverbially) = ‘in turn/alternately’

• समश्नते: experiences/enjoys
• समश्नते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam+aś (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative, 3rd person singular; आत्मनेपद; उपसर्ग: सम्

• भुञ्जतः: of/while enjoying
• भुञ्जतः: Kāla/Avadhāraṇa (काल/अवधारण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्यय (वर्तमान कृदन्त), षष्ठी, एकवचन; Present active participle used as genitive absolute-like ‘while (he) is enjoying’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• क्षयम्: diminution/exhaustion
• क्षयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• याति: goes to/undergoes
• याति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; Present indicative, 3rd person singular; परस्मैपद

• पापम्: sin (demerit)
• पापम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here subject-like with ellipsis: ‘pāpaṃ (kṣayaṃ yāti)’

• पुण्यम्: merit
• पुण्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; coordinated with pāpam

• अथ: then/and
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), sequence ‘then/and’

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), ‘also/even’

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

Speakers

• Yama-kiṅkara instructing the King

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "shanta", "secondaryRasa": "dharma", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Yama

Key Themes

• Karma
• Bhoga (experience)
• Merit and sin
• Moral causality

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Karma is not eternal punishment or reward: it is consumable. Hence ethical effort matters—one can stop generating new harm while old results are being exhausted.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

A doctrinal teaching on karmaphala; it supports dharma and the Purāṇa’s instructive purpose rather than the five historical-cosmic headings.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘By turns’ indicates saṃsāric oscillation (sukha/duḥkha). Liberation requires not merely exhausting karma but ceasing identification that perpetuates new karmic production.