Shloka 87

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

Sanskrit

अयं कृतघ्रो मित्राणामपकारी सुदुर्मतिः ।

तत्पकुम्भे निपतति ततो यास्यति पेषणम् ॥

Transliteration

ayaṃ kṛtaghro mitrāṇām apakārī sudurmatiḥ | tatpakuṃbhe nipatati tato yāsyati peṣaṇam ||

Translation

ఈ మిత్రద్రోహి, పరపీడకుడు, పాపబుద్ధి—వండే కుండ/కడాయిలో పడతాడు; తరువాత పేషణానికి (నూరిపోవడానికి) వెళ్తాడు।

Word by Word

• ayam: this (man)
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kṛta-ghraḥ: ingrate, one who repays good with harm
• kṛta-ghraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛta (कृदन्त) + ghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘कृतं घ्राति/घ्रणाति’ इति व्युत्पत्त्या ‘कृतघ्न’ (benefit-killer/ingrate) अर्थ; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mitrāṇām: of friends
• mitrāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• apakārī: harm-doer
• apakārī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apa + kṛ (धातु) → apakārin (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (णिनि/इन्-प्रत्ययान्त agent noun), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘one who does harm’

• su-durmatiḥ: very evil-minded
• su-durmatiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + durmati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उपपद-तत्पुरुष/उपसर्गपूर्वक; पुल्लिङ्ग/स्त्रीलिङ्ग (mati is feminine; here nominative singular feminine), प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीह्यर्थे विशेषणवत् (as epithet)

• tatpa-kumbhe: in the heated pot
• tatpa-kumbhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tatpa (प्रातिपदिक; ‘heated/boiling’ sense) + kumbha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; ‘तप्तः कुम्भः’ (heated pot); पुल्लिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• nipatati: falls down
• nipatati: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni + pat (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• tataḥ: then/from there
• tataḥ: Avyaya (अव्यय/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपादान/अनन्तरार्थ (from there/then)

• yāsyati: will go
• yāsyati: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: yā (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future/लृट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• peṣaṇam: grinding/crushing (torture)
• peṣaṇam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: peṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थक क्रियायाः कर्म (destination as object)

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
• Friendship ethics
• Betrayal / ingratitude
• Karma and retribution

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Harming benefactors and friends is treated as a profound violation of dharma. The sequence of torments (boiling then grinding) dramatizes escalating consequences of deliberate betrayal.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Karmaphala-dharma instruction; ancillary ethical catalogue material typical of Purāṇic discourse.

What is the esoteric significance?

The cauldron symbolizes ‘cooking’ in the fire of one’s own malice; grinding symbolizes the ego being pulverized after it has ‘heated’ itself through treachery.