FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.26.11

ये त्विह यथैवामुना विहिंसिता जन्तव: परत्र यमयातनामुपगतं त एव रुरवो भूत्वा तथा तमेव विहिंसन्ति तस्माद्रौरवमित्याहू रुरुरिति सर्पादतिक्रूरसत्त्वस्यापदेश: ॥ ११ ॥
ye tv iha yathaivāmunā vihiṁsitā jantavaḥ paratra yama-yātanām upagataṁ ta eva ruravo bhūtvā tathā tam eva vihiṁsanti tasmād rauravam ity āhū rurur iti sarpād ati-krūra-sattvasyāpadeśaḥ.
[ye tv iha yathaivaamunaa vihimsitaa jantavah paratra yama-yaatanaam upagatam ta eva ruravo bhootvaa tathaa tam eva vihimsanti tasmaad rauravam ity aahoo rurur iti sarpaad ati-kroora-sattvasyaapadeshah.]
Word-for-word
ye — those who tu — but iha — in this life yathā — as much as eva — certainly amunā — by him vihiṁsitāḥ — who were hurt jantavaḥ — the living entities paratra — in the next life yama-yātanām upagatam — being subjected to miserable conditions by Yamarāja te — those living entities eva — indeed ruravaḥ — rurus (a kind of envious animal) bhūtvā — becoming tathā — that much tam — him eva — certainly vihiṁsanti — they hurt tasmāt — because of this rauravam — Raurava iti — thus āhuḥ — learned scholars say ruruḥ — the animal known as ruru iti — thus sarpāt — than the snake ati-krūra — much more cruel and envious sattvasya — of the entity apadeśaḥ — the name.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ye tv iha yathaivāmunā vihiṁsitā jantavaḥ paratra yama-yātanām upagataṁ ta eva ruravo bhūtvā tathā tam eva vihiṁsanti tasmād rauravam ity āhū rurur iti sarpād ati-krūra-sattvasyāpadeśaḥ.
ye
those who
tu
but
iha
in this life
yathā
as much as
eva
certainly
amunā
by him
vihiṁsitāḥ
who were hurt
jantavaḥ
the living entities
paratra
in the next life
yama-yātanām upagatam
being subjected to miserable conditions by Yamarāja
te
those living entities
eva
indeed
ruravaḥ
rurus (a kind of envious animal)
bhūtvā
becoming
tathā
that much
tam
him
eva
certainly
vihiṁsanti
they hurt
tasmāt
because of this
rauravam
Raurava
iti
thus
āhuḥ
learned scholars say
ruruḥ
the animal known as ruru
iti
thus
sarpāt
than the snake
ati-krūra
much more cruel and envious
sattvasya
of the entity
apadeśaḥ
the name.
In this life, an envious person commits violent acts against many living entities. Therefore after his death, when he is taken to hell by Yamarāja, those living entities who were hurt by him appear as animals called rurus to inflict very severe pain upon him. Learned scholars call this hell Raurava. Not generally seen in this world, the ruru is more envious than a snake.
Purport

According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, the ruru is also known as the bhāra-śṛṅga ( ati-krūrasya bhāra-śṛṅgākhya-sattvasya apadeśaḥ saṁjñā ). Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī confirms this in his Sandarbha: ruru-śabdasya svayaṁ muninaiva ṭīkā-vidhānāl lokeṣv aprasiddha evāyaṁ jantu-viśeṣaḥ. Thus although rurus are not seen in this world, their existence is confirmed in the śāstras.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The living beings that were injured by him become rurus and commit violence to him while he suffers the pains of Yama. Therefore this place is called Raurava. Ruru is the name of a living entity more cruel than a snake. In this way their actions are reversed. According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, the ruru is type of antelope. Jīva Gosvāmī says according the definition given by Śukadeva, the ruru is a particular animal not well know in this world.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Those one hurt return as torturers in the next life. Karma is not abstract; the very beings we wronged become our pain. Take seriously who you are currently hurting; they have ways of returning.
Reflection Questions
  • Whom have I hurt that might one day stand on the other side of this equation?
  • What act of restitution could I begin now, before the bill comes due?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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