Shloka 4
Hari-Pūjā: Puruṣa-sūkta, Bhakti-Supremacy, and Consequences of Neglect
नरके पच्यमानस्तु यमेन परिभाषितः / किन्त्वया नार्चितो देवः केशवः क्लेशनाशनः
narake pacyamānastu yamena paribhāṣitaḥ / kintvayā nārcito devaḥ keśavaḥ kleśanāśanaḥ
جہنم میں جلتے ہوئے یم تمہیں ڈانٹ کر کہتا ہے—‘تو نے دکھوں کو مٹانے والے دیو کیشو کی عبادت کیوں نہ کی؟’
Lord Vishnu (teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra in the Garuda Purana dialogue)
Afterlife Stage: Naraka
Concept: Worship of Keśava, the destroyer of suffering, is a decisive safeguard; neglect leads to hellish consequences and Yama’s censure.
Vedantic Theme: Bhagavān as the refuge (śaraṇya) whose grace counters kleśa; karma’s fruition is confronted when bhakti is absent.
Application: Adopt regular Keśava-arcana and nāma-smaraṇa; when facing hardship, turn to devotion rather than postponing worship until crisis or death.
Primary Rasa: bhayanaka
Secondary Rasa: raudra
Type: court/realm of punishment
Related Themes: Garuda Purana Pretakalpa: Yama’s questioning and the soul’s remorse as a recurring motif; Garuda Purana: statements that Hari-bhakti reduces or nullifies certain naraka experiences
FAQs
This verse frames devotion to Keśava as a direct antidote to suffering—Yama’s rebuke implies that neglecting Vishnu-bhakti leaves one exposed to the fruits of sin and torment after death.
It depicts a post-mortem accountability scene in Naraka where Yama confronts the soul; the moral emphasis is that spiritual neglect—specifically not honoring Keśava—becomes a decisive factor in one’s suffering.
Maintain regular Vishnu/Keśava worship (nāma-japa, pūjā, remembrance) alongside ethical living, treating devotion as a daily discipline that reduces karmic distress and strengthens dharmic conduct.