Shloka 85

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

Sanskrit

वृकैर्भयङ्करैः पृष्ठं नित्यमस्योपभुज्यते ।

पृष्ठमांसं नृपैतॆन यतो लोकस्य भक्षितम् ॥

Transliteration

vṛkair bhayaṅkaraiḥ pṛṣṭhaṃ nityam asyopabhujyate | pṛṣṭha-māṃsaṃ nṛpaitena yato lokasya bhakṣitam ||

Translation

అతని వెన్నెముక/వెనుక భాగాన్ని భయంకరమైన తోడేళ్లు ఎల్లప్పుడూ కొరికివేస్తుంటాయి—ఎందుకంటే ఆ రాజు ప్రజల మాంసాన్ని, ముఖ్యంగా ‘వెనుక మాంసాన్ని’ (రక్షించవలసినదాన్ని) తిన్నాడు।

Word by Word

• vṛkaiḥ: by wolves
• vṛkaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), बहुवचन (Plural)

• bhayaṅkaraiḥ: terrifying
• bhayaṅkaraiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhayaṅkara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण (adjective) vṛkaiḥ के साथ

• pṛṣṭham: the back
• pṛṣṭham: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Avyaya (अव्यय/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial accusative used as indeclinable): ‘always’

• asya: of him
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक (contextual), षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• upabhujyate: is eaten/consumed
• upabhujyate: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + bhuj (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive/कर्मणि), आत्मनेपद

• pṛṣṭha-māṃsam: back-flesh
• pṛṣṭha-māṃsam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक) + māṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भाव): ‘पृष्ठस्य मांसम्’ (flesh of the back); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• nṛpā: O king / the king
• nṛpā: Sambodhana/Prayojaka (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (addressing/mentioning king)

• etena: by this (one)
• etena: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन

• yataḥ: because
• yataḥ: Avyaya (अव्यय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कारणार्थक (causal conjunction) ‘because/since’

• lokasya: of the world/people
• lokasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• bhakṣitam: (has been) eaten/devoured
• bhakṣitam: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhakṣ (धातु) → bhakṣita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here predicative with implied ‘asti’

Speakers

• Dialogue frame not explicit in the provided excerpt; didactic naraka catalogue.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Rājadharma (kingly duty)
• Abuse/exploitation
• Karma and retribution

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

A ruler exists to protect, not prey upon subjects. Exploitation is framed as cannibalizing one’s own people; the punishment returns the predatory act upon the predator.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma (especially rājadharma) taught through karmaphala imagery; ancillary to the fivefold Purāṇic markers.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Back’ suggests those who cannot face power directly (the vulnerable). Wolves externalize the ruler’s own rapacity, turning inner predation into outer torment.