Shloka 71

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

Sanskrit

शरणागतान् यस्त्यजति लोभाद् वृत्त्युपजीविनः ।

सोऽप्येवं यन्त्रपीडाभिः पीड्यते यमकिङ्करैः ॥

Transliteration

śaraṇāgatān yastyajati lobhād vṛttyupajīvinaḥ / so 'pyevaṃ yantrapīḍābhiḥ pīḍyate yamakiṅkaraiḥ

Translation

లోభంతో తన శరణు కోరినవారిని, జీవనోపాధికి తనపై ఆధారపడిన జనులను విడిచిపెట్టేవాడు కూడా యమదూతల చేత ఆయుధ-యంత్ర యాతనలతో బాధింపబడతాడు।

Word by Word

• śaraṇa-āgatān: those who have sought refuge
• śaraṇa-āgatān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + āgata (धातु-जन्य प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘शरणम् आगताः’ (उपपद-समास/कर्मधारय-प्रायः)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tyajati: abandons
• tyajati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• lobhāt: out of greed
• lobhāt: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: lobha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); हेतौ (cause)

• vṛtti-upajīvinaḥ: dependents living by (his) livelihood/support
• vṛtti-upajīvinaḥ: Karma (कर्म) — apposition to śaraṇāgatān
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛtti (प्रातिपदिक) + upajīvin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘वृत्त्या उपजीवन्ति ये’ (उपपद-समास)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• evaṃ: thus
• evaṃ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evaṃ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• yantra-pīḍābhiḥ: by tortures of instruments
• yantra-pīḍābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yantra (प्रातिपदिक) + pīḍā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘यन्त्रेण/यन्त्रस्य पीडा’

• pīḍyate: is tormented
• pīḍyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pīḍ (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); Ātmanepada form

• yama-kiṅkaraiḥ: by Yama’s servants
• yama-kiṅkaraiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + kiṅkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः ‘यमस्य किङ्कराः’

Speakers

• Not specified in the provided excerpt (didactic narration).

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Yama

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Protection of the vulnerable
• Śaraṇāgati ethics
• Karmaphala
• Naraka (hell) imagery

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Granting refuge creates a moral bond; betraying it for greed is a grave violation. The Purāṇic ethic treats the dependent/refugee as a protected category, and abandonment as violence by omission.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ethical instruction (dharma/karmaphala) embedded within the Purāṇic narrative framework rather than the five cosmological lakṣaṇas.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Yantras’ (devices) symbolize mechanized, cold-hearted calculation—greed turning relationships into instruments. The torment by instruments reflects the instrumentalization of people.