Shloka 17

Adhyaya 12 — The Son Describes the Narakas: Mahāraurava, Tamas, Nikṛntana, Apratiṣṭha, Asipatravana, and Taptakumbha

Sanskrit

यमानुगाङ्गुलिस्थेन आपादतलमस्तकम् ।

न चैषां जीवितभ्रंशो जायते द्विजसत्तम ॥

Transliteration

yamānugāṅgulisthena āpāda-talam-astakam /

na caiṣāṃ jīvitabhraṃśo jāyate dvijasattama

Translation

اے بہترین برہمن، یم کے خادموں کی انگلیوں (سے چلنے والے دھاگے) سے انہیں پیروں سے سر تک کاٹا جاتا ہے، پھر بھی ان کی جان نہیں نکلتی۔

Word by Word

• यम-अनुग-अङ्गुलि-स्थेन: by (that) which is placed on the finger of Yama’s attendant
• यम-अनुग-अङ्गुलि-स्थेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + अनुग (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्गुलि (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative: ‘situated in the finger of Yama’s attendant’), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आ-पाद-तल-मस्तकम्: from foot-sole to head
• आ-पाद-तल-मस्तकम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक) + मस्तक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास (adverbial: ‘from the soles of the feet up to the head’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negative particle)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एषाम्: of these (persons)
• एषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• जीवित-भ्रंशः: loss of life
• जीवित-भ्रंशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवित (प्रातिपदिक) + भ्रंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (loss of life), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जायते: arises/occurs
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• द्विज-सत्तम: O best of the twice-born
• द्विज-सत्तम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक) + सत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषार्थः ‘द्विजानां सत्तमः’ (best among twice-born)

Speakers

• Narrator addressing a dvija interlocutor (exact identities not recoverable from excerpt alone)

Verse Rasa

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

Primary Deities

• Yama (explicit via attendants)

Key Themes

• Naraka mechanics
• Karmic endurance
• Non-termination of suffering until karma ends

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

Consequences cannot be escaped by ‘ending’ the experience; the narrative insists that one must undergo karmaphala until it is spent. It serves as a deterrent and a call to self-governance (dama) and right action.

How does this fit the Pancalakṣaṇa (5 characteristics)?

Ethical instruction via karmaphala description; an ancillary teaching section supporting dharma rather than genealogical/manvantara narration.

What is the esoteric significance?

The suspension of death indicates the persistence of saṃskāras: the ‘self’ cannot simply opt out. Spiritually, it points to the need for conscious transformation rather than avoidance.