Shloka 68

Adhyaya 15 — Karmic Retribution: Rebirths After Naraka and the King’s Compassion in Hell

Sanskrit

राजोवाच नरके मानवाः धर्म पीड्यन्तेऽत्र सहस्रशः ।

त्राहीति चार्ताः क्रन्दन्ति मामतो न व्रजाम्यहम् ॥

Transliteration

rājovāca narake mānavā dharma pīḍyante ’tra sahasraśaḥ |

trāhīti cārtāḥ krandanti mām ato na vrajāmy aham ||

Translation

พระราชาตรัสว่า ‘ข้าแต่ธรรมะ ในนรกนี้มนุษย์นับพันถูกทรมานอยู่ ผู้ทุกข์ร้อนร้องว่า “ช่วยด้วย!” เพราะฉะนั้นข้าพเจ้าจะไม่จากที่นี่ไป’

Word by Word

• rājā: the king
• rājā: Karta (कर्ता) of uvāca
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

• mānavāḥ: people, humans
• mānavāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of pīḍyante
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

• dharma: O Dharma
• dharma: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (सम्बोधन), Singular; address to Dharma

• pīḍyante: are being tormented
• pīḍyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pīḍ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Plural, Ātmanepada; passive/middle sense ‘are tormented’

• atra: here
• atra: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• sahasraśaḥ: by the thousands
• sahasraśaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sahasraśas (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकार/परिमाणवाचक अव्यय) ‘by thousands, in thousands’

• trāhi: save (us)!
• trāhi: Kriyā (क्रिया) quoted speech
• Type: Verb
• Root: trā (धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 2nd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

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

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

• ārtāḥ: the distressed
• ārtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता) of krandanti
• Type: Noun
• Root: ārta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; ‘the afflicted’

• krandanti: cry out
• krandanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: krand (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Plural, Parasmaipada

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म) of implied ‘call/implore’ with krandanti (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Accusative, Singular

• ataḥ: therefore
• ataḥ: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Causal/consecutive adverb (हेतु/फलवाचक अव्यय) ‘therefore/from this’

• na: not
• na: Nishedha
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle

• vrajāmi: I go
• vrajāmi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vraj (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 1st person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता) of vrajāmi
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative, Singular

Speakers

• King to Dharma

Verse Rasa

{ "primaryRasa": "karuna", "secondaryRasa": "dharma-vira", "rasaIntensity": 0, "emotionalArcPosition": "", "moodDescriptors": [] }

Primary Deities

• Dharma

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Compassion
• Kingship ethics
• Naraka
• Protection of the distressed (trāṇa)

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

True dharma is tested where suffering is visible. The king’s refusal models the ideal ruler as refuge (śaraṇya): he prioritizes the cries of the helpless over his own promised elevation.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Ethical exemplum within narrative (vaṃśānucarita-like). It teaches rāja-dharma and compassion rather than presenting genealogies or cosmic cycles.

What is the esoteric significance?

Naraka can also indicate inner states of remorse, fear, and contraction. The king’s stance signifies a vow to remain present with collective suffering until transformation occurs—an archetype of salvific leadership.