Shloka 94

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

Sanskrit

गोग्घ्रो न्यूनतरं याति नरके 'थ त्रिजन्मनि ।

तथोपपातकानाञ्च सर्वेषामिति निश्चयः ॥

Transliteration

gogghro nyūnataraṃ yāti narake 'tha trijanmani /

tathopapātakānāṃ ca sarveṣām iti niścayaḥ

Translation

గోవధ చేసినవాడు స్వల్పకాలం నరకానికి వెళ్తాడు; అనంతరం మూడు జన్మలపాటు దుఃఖాన్ని అనుభవిస్తాడు. ఉపపాతకములన్నిటికీ ఇదే స్థిరనిర్ణయం.

Word by Word

• goghraḥ: one who smells/covets cows (a cow-stealer)
• goghraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: goghra (प्रातिपदिक; go+ghra)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• nyūnataraṃ: more deficiently / to a lesser extent
• nyūnataraṃ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nyūnatara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); comparative degree (तर) used adverbially

• yāti: goes
• yāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• narake: in hell
• narake: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• atha: then / moreover
• atha: Sambandha/Anvaya (सम्बन्ध/अन्वय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/conjunctive indeclinable (निपात)

• tri-janmani: in the third birth
• tri-janmani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri+janman (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि + जन्मन्)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• tathā: thus / likewise
• tathā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• upapātakānām: of minor sins (upapātakas)
• upapātakānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: upapātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• sarveṣām: of all
• sarveṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध; षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Plural (बहुवचन)

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-dyotaka (वाक्यार्थद्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• niścayaḥ: certainty / conclusion
• niścayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niścaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speakers

• Yamakiṅkara

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Yama

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Sin taxonomy (mahāpātaka/upapātaka)
• Rebirth consequences

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

The text differentiates degrees of wrongdoing and their karmic ‘sentencing’: even when hell-term is reduced, rebirth-based repercussions may persist.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Primarily dharma-ethical classification; not a pancalakṣaṇa core.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Three births’ can signify the deep embedding of a pattern across body, speech, and mind—requiring sustained correction over time.