Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 2

Naraka-varṇana: The Hellish Planets and the Karmic Logic of Punishment

Devanagari script

ऋषिरुवाच त्रिगुणत्वात्कर्तु: श्रद्धया कर्मगतय: पृथग्विधा: सर्वा एव सर्वस्य तारतम्येन भवन्ति ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

ṛṣir uvāca tri-guṇatvāt kartuḥ śraddhayā karma-gatayaḥ pṛthag-vidhāḥ sarvā eva sarvasya tāratamyena bhavanti.

Translation

圣者答道：大王啊，由于行者受三种性（德、欲、痴）所染，并随其信心不同，业行之路各异；其果报亦随诸性强弱而分差。

Synonyms

• ऋषिः: the sage
• ऋषिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• त्रिगुणत्वात्: because of (the) threefold guṇa-nature
• त्रिगुणत्वात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Ablative-cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + गुणत्व (प्रातिपदिक); त्रिगुणत्व (समास/तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे (cause)

• कर्तुः: of the doer
• कर्तुः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• श्रद्धया: by (his) faith
• श्रद्धया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-भावे

• कर्मगतयः: the courses/paths of action
• कर्मगतयः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्म + गति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• पृथग्विधाः: of different kinds
• पृथग्विधाः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृथक् + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् कर्मगतयः इति

• सर्वाः: all
• सर्वाः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मगतयः इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• एव: indeed
• एव: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• सर्वस्य: of all (persons)
• सर्वस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सामान्यतः ‘of everyone/of all’

• तारतम्येन: by gradation; comparatively
• तारतम्येन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument/Mode)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तारतम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; प्रकार/हेतु-भावे

• भवन्ति: become; occur
• भवन्ति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how the three gunas affect karma?

This verse states that because the doer is influenced by the three modes, his faith and actions vary, producing many different karmic destinations with higher and lower gradations.

Why does Śukadeva Gosvāmī discuss faith (śraddhā) when describing hellish planets in Canto 5?

He links destinations—including suffering realms—to the inner orientation of a person: faith shaped by the gunas drives specific actions, and those actions lead to corresponding results.

Practical application: how can I use this teaching in modern life?

Examine what shapes your faith and choices (goodness, passion, ignorance), cultivate sāttvika habits and devotion, and align actions with dharma to avoid degrading karmic outcomes.