Shloka 60

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

Sanskrit

बद्धाङ्घ्रयस्ते निगडैलौहैरग्निप्रतापितैः ।

अङ्गारराशिमध्यस्थास्तिष्ठन्त्याजानुदाहिनः ॥

Transliteration

baddhāṅghrayas te nigaḍair lauhair agni-pratāpitaiḥ /

aṅgāra-rāśi-madhya-sthās tiṣṭhanty ājānu-dāhinaḥ

Translation

เท้าของพวกเขาถูกล่ามด้วยโซ่เหล็กที่เผาให้ร้อนด้วยไฟ; ยืนท่ามกลางกองถ่านเพลิงที่ลุกไหม้ ก็ถูกเผาจนถึงหัวเข่า

Word by Word

• baddha-aṅghrayaḥ: those whose feet are bound
• baddha-aṅghrayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: baddha (spandhita from bandh, धातु √bandh) + aṅghri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिः ‘बद्धौ अङ्घ्री यस्य’ (whose feet are bound); Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन)

• te: they/those
• te: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन); demonstrative pronoun

• nigaḍaiḥ: with shackles
• nigaḍaiḥ: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nigaḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन)

• lauhaiḥ: iron
• lauhaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lauha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying निगडैः

• agni-pratāpitaiḥ: heated by fire
• agni-pratāpitaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक) + pratāpita (कृदन्त from √tap with प्र-, धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुषः (तृतीया/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध) ‘अग्निना प्रतापित’ = fire-heated; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया) Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with निगडैः

• aṅgāra-rāśi-madhya-sthāḥ: standing in the middle of a heap of embers
• aṅgāra-rāśi-madhya-sthāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṅgāra (प्रातिपदिक) + rāśi (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक) + stha (कृदन्त from √sthā, धातु)
• Form: समासः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष) ‘अङ्गारराशेः मध्ये स्थाः’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन)

• tiṣṭhanti: stand
• tiṣṭhanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु √sthā)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) Plural (बहुवचन)

• ā-jānu-dāhinaḥ: burning up to the knees
• ā-jānu-dāhinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ā (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + jānu (प्रातिपदिक) + dāhin (प्रातिपदिक; from √dah, ‘burning’)
• Form: अव्ययीभावः ‘आजानु’ = up to the knees; adjective ‘दाहिन्’ in plural; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा) Plural (बहुवचन)

Speakers

• Naraka narration; Yamadūtas implied as agents of punishment

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Yama (implied)

Key Themes

• Karma-phala
• Naraka
• Retributive justice
• Guru-mātṛ-pitṛ-bhakti

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Disrespect to the venerable is portrayed as self-destructive: the same ‘feet’ used to insult become the locus of restraint and pain. The text teaches restraint of body (kāyika-saṃyama) as a foundation of dharma.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Didactic dharma/naraka-varṇana employed within Purāṇic instruction; ancillary to the five marks, but commonly embedded to enforce moral order.

What is the esoteric significance?

Heated fetters signify compulsive habit (saṃskāra) becoming bondage; burning coals signify the ‘fire’ of remorse and consequence that follows acts done in heat of arrogance.