Shloka 12

नरक-निर्णयः, पाप-कर्म-फल-व्यवस्था, प्रायश्चित्त-क्रमः, तथा हरि-स्मरण-परमत्वम्

Devanagari script

स्नुषां सुतां चापि गत्वा महाज्वाले निपात्यते अवमन्ता गुरूणां यो यश् चाक्रोष्टा नराधमः

Transliteration

snuṣāṃ sutāṃ cāpi gatvā mahājvāle nipātyate avamantā gurūṇāṃ yo yaś cākroṣṭā narādhamaḥ

Translation

被邪恶驱使而玷污儿媳甚至亲生女儿者，轻慢长者与师长并辱骂者——此等卑劣之人必被投入地狱的大炽烈火中。

Word by Word

• स्नुषाम्: daughters-in-law
• स्नुषाम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नुषा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन (Accusative plural)

• सुताम्: daughter
• सुताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चय-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya (Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाल (having gone)

• महाज्वाले: in the great flame
• महाज्वाले: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Locative singular); समासः—महती च सा ज्वाला (महाज्वाला)

• निपात्यते: is cast down
• निपात्यते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+पत् (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive)

• अवमन्ता: a despiser
• अवमन्ता: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव+मन् (धातु) + तृ (तृच्)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक कृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Agent noun: one who disrespects)

• गुरूणाम्: of elders/teachers
• गुरूणाम्: Sambandha (Possessor/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Relative pronoun)

• यः: and who
• यः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Relative pronoun)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आक्रोष्टा: an abuser
• आक्रोष्टा: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आ+क्रुश् (धातु) + तृ (तृच्)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक कृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (one who abuses/shouts at)

• नराधमः: the lowest of men
• नराधमः: Karta (Apposition/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर + अधम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—नराणाम् अधमः (lowest of men)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (teaching Maitreya in the Naraka-description section)

Characters & Entities

• Gurus (elders/teachers)
• Sinners (narādhama)
• Naraka (hell realms)

FAQs

What is the significance of Naraka descriptions in the Vishnu Purana?

They function as moral cartography: by mapping specific acts to specific consequences, the text reinforces dharma as a cosmic law operating under the supreme order sustained by Vishnu.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the gravity of insulting one’s guru or elders?

Parāśara treats guru-nindā (reviling or dishonouring teachers/elders) as a foundational breach of dharma because it attacks the very channel of knowledge, discipline, and social-spiritual order.

The theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even when Vishnu is not named in the verse, the punishments presuppose a universe governed by an intelligible moral order—dharma and karma—ultimately resting in Vishnu as the supreme sustaining reality.