Shloka 57

Devanagari script

अनेकपारिपन्धथिके विरूपरौद्रमक्षिके | स्वमेव कर्म रक्ष्यतां स्वकर्म तत्र गच्छति,परलोकके मार्गपर बहुत-से लुटेरे और बटमार रहते हैं तथा विकराल एवं भयंकर डाँस एवं मक्खियाँ होती हैं। वहाँ केवल अपना किया हुआ कर्म ही साथ जाता है; अतः तुम्हें अपने सत्कर्मकी ही रक्षा करनी चाहिये

Transliteration

anekapāripanthike virūpa-raudra-makṣike | svam eva karma rakṣyatāṃ sva-karma tatra gacchati ||

Translation

Sa daan patungo sa kabilang daigdig ay maraming hadlang—may mga magnanakaw at tulisan na nakaabang, at may mga nakapangingilabot na dapong at langaw. Doon, wala nang sasama sa tao kundi ang sariling gawa (karma); kaya’t ingatan at pangalagaan ang sariling mabubuting gawa lamang.

Word by Word

अनेकmany

पारिपन्थिकाःhighwaymen, robbers

विरूपhideous, deformed

रौद्रterrible, fierce

मक्षिकाःflies

स्वम्one's own

एवonly, indeed

कर्मdeed, action

रक्ष्यताम्should be protected/guarded

स्वकर्मone's own deed

तत्रthere

गच्छतिgoes

Speaker

व्यास उवाच

Characters & Entities

Vyāsa

paraloka (the other world/afterlife)

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

Only one’s own karma accompanies one beyond this life; therefore one should safeguard and cultivate satkarma (righteous deeds), not rely on external supports.

What is happening in the narrative?

Vyāsa delivers a moral warning using the image of a perilous road to the afterlife—filled with threats and terrors—to stress that, amid such passage, one’s deeds alone remain as one’s true companion.