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

ان کے پاؤں آگ میں تپائی ہوئی لوہے کی بیڑیوں سے باندھے جاتے ہیں؛ جلتے انگاروں کے ڈھیروں کے بیچ کھڑے ہو کر وہ گھٹنوں تک جھلسائے جاتے ہیں۔

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.