Shloka 55

Adhyaya 14 — The Messenger of Yama Explains Karmic Retribution and the Causes of Naraka Torments

Sanskrit

एकपङ्क्त्या तु ये विप्रमथवेतरवर्णजम् ।

विषमं भोजयन्तीह विड्भुजस्त इमे यथा ॥

Transliteration

ekapaṅktyā tu ye vipramathavetaravarṇajam / viṣamaṃ bojayantīha viḍbhujasta ime yathā

Translation

凡在此世令婆罗门或他种姓之人同列而食，却施食不均者——此等之人将成为食粪者。

Word by Word

• एक-पङ्क्त्या: in a single row/line
• एक-पङ्क्त्या: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्क्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (एकैव पङ्क्तिः)

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध-सर्वनाम

• विप्र-मथव-इतर-वर्ण-जम्: one born of mixed/other varṇas (incl. Brahmin, Mathava etc.)
• विप्र-मथव-इतर-वर्ण-जम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + मथव (प्रातिपदिक) + इतर (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (कृदन्त; √जन् धातु, ‘born’)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: (विप्र-मथव-इतर-वर्णेभ्यः) जातम् = ‘born from Brahmin, Mathava, and other varṇas’

• विषमम्: unequal/irregular (food/service)
• विषमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; विशेषण

• भोजयन्ति: they cause to eat/feed
• भोजयन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भुज् (धातु; causative √भोजय)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• विड्-भुजः: excrement-eaters
• विड्-भुजः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विड् (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज् (कृदन्त; √भुज् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विडः भुजः = ‘eaters of excrement’)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• इमे: these
• इमे: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• यथा: as/like
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारवाचक (comparative/manner)

Speakers

• Not specified in input; didactic narration on social/ritual fairness in feeding.

Verse Rasa

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

Key Themes

• Dharma
• Dana & feeding ethics
• Social conduct
• Karmaphala

FAQs

What is the philosophical or ethical takeaway?

If one undertakes a communal feeding, it must be governed by fairness and sincerity. Public religiosity paired with unequal treatment is condemned as hypocrisy and injustice.

How does this fit the Pancalakshana (5 characteristics)?

Dharma/karmaphala instruction; not pañcalakṣaṇa.

What is the esoteric significance?

‘Unequal feeding’ represents partiality (rāga-dveṣa). The feces-eating consequence symbolizes the inversion of nourishment: what should purify becomes defilement when driven by bias.