SB 5.26.22 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.26.22

ये त्विह वै राजन्या राजपुरुषा वा अपाखण्डा धर्मसेतून् भिन्दन्ति ते सम्परेत्य वैतरण्यां निपतन्ति भिन्नमर्यादास्तस्यां निरयपरिखाभूतायां नद्यां यादोगणैरितस्ततो भक्ष्यमाणा आत्मना न वियुज्यमानाश्चासुभिरुह्यमाना: स्वाघेन कर्मपाकमनुस्मरन्तो विण्मूत्रपूयशोणितकेशनखास्थिमेदोमांसवसावाहिन्यामुपतप्यन्ते ॥ २२ ॥

ye tv iha vai rājanyā rāja-puruṣā vā apākhaṇḍā dharma-setūn bhindanti te samparetya vaitaraṇyāṁ nipatanti bhinna-maryādās tasyāṁ niraya-parikhā-bhūtāyāṁ nadyāṁ yādo-gaṇair itas tato bhakṣyamāṇā ātmanā na viyujyamānāś cāsubhir uhyamānāḥ svāghena karma-pākam anusmaranto viṇ-mūtra-pūya-śoṇita-keśa-nakhāsthi-medo-māṁsa-vasā-vāhinyām upatapyante.

[ye tv iha vai raajanyaa raaja-purushaa vaa apaakhandaa dharma-setoon bhindanti te samparetya vaitaranyaam nipatanti bhinna-maryaadaas tasyaam niraya-parikhaa-bhootaayaam nadyaam yaado-ganair itas tato bhakshyamaanaa aatmanaa na viyujyamaanaash chaasubhir uhyamaanaah svaaghena karma-paakam anusmaranto vin-mootra-pooya-shonita-kesha-nakhaasthi-medo-maamsa-vasaa-vaahinyaam upatapyante.]

Word-for-word

ye — persons who tu — but iha — in this life vai — indeed rājanyāḥ — members of the royal family, or kṣatriyas rāja-puruṣāḥ — government servants vā — or apākhaṇḍāḥ — although born in responsible families dharma-setūn — the bounds of prescribed religious principles bhindanti — transgress te — they samparetya — after dying vaitaraṇyām — named Vaitaraṇī nipatanti — fall down bhinna-maryādāḥ — who have broken the regulative principles tasyām — in that niraya-parikhā-bhūtāyām — the moat surrounding hell nadyām — in the river yādaḥ-gaṇaiḥ — by ferocious aquatic animals itaḥ tataḥ — here and there bhakṣyamāṇāḥ — being eaten ātmanā — with the body na — not viyujyamānāḥ — being separated ca — and asubhiḥ — the life airs uhyamānāḥ — being carried sva-aghena — by his own sinful activities karma-pākam — the result of his impious activities anusmarantaḥ — remembering viṭ — of stool mūtra — urine pūya — pus śoṇita — blood keśa — hair nakha — nails asthi — bones medaḥ — marrow māṁsa — flesh vasā — fat vāhinyām — in the river upatapyante — are afflicted with pain.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

persons who

but

iha

in this life

vai

indeed

rājanyāḥ

members of the royal family, or kṣatriyas

rāja-puruṣāḥ

government servants

vā

apākhaṇḍāḥ

although born in responsible families

dharma-setūn

the bounds of prescribed religious principles

bhindanti

transgress

they

samparetya

after dying

vaitaraṇyām

named Vaitaraṇī

nipatanti

fall down

bhinna-maryādāḥ

who have broken the regulative principles

tasyām

in that

niraya-parikhā-bhūtāyām

the moat surrounding hell

nadyām

in the river

yādaḥ-gaṇaiḥ

by ferocious aquatic animals

itaḥ tataḥ

here and there

bhakṣyamāṇāḥ

being eaten

ātmanā

with the body

not

viyujyamānāḥ

being separated

and

asubhiḥ

the life airs

uhyamānāḥ

being carried

sva-aghena

by his own sinful activities

karma-pākam

the result of his impious activities

anusmarantaḥ

remembering

viṭ

of stool

mūtra

urine

pūya

pus

śoṇita

blood

keśa

hair

nakha

nails

asthi

bones

medaḥ

marrow

māṁsa

flesh

vasā

fat

vāhinyām

in the river

upatapyante

are afflicted with pain.

A person who is born into a responsible family — such as a kṣatriya, a member of royalty or a government servant — but who neglects to execute his prescribed duties according to religious principles, and who thus becomes degraded, falls down at the time of death into the river of hell known as Vaitaraṇī. This river, which is a moat surrounding hell, is full of ferocious aquatic animals. When a sinful man is thrown into the river Vaitaraṇī, the aquatic animals there immediately begin to eat him, but because of his extremely sinful life, he does not leave his body. He constantly remembers his sinful activities and suffers terribly in that river, which is full of stool, urine, pus, blood, hair, nails, bones, marrow, flesh and fat.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

A person who is born into a responsible family—such as a kṣatriya, a member of royalty or a government servant—but who neglects to execute his prescribed duties according to religious principles and break the rules, falls down at the time of death into the river of hell known as Vaitaraṇī. He is bitten by the aquatic animals in this river surrounding hell, but does not give his body, being supported by his life airs. Remembering the results of his sinful activities, he suffers terribly in that river, which is full of stool, urine, pus, blood, hair, nails, bones, marrow, flesh and fat. He is not separated from his body (ātmanā).

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Personal Guidance

Born into a responsible family but neglecting one's duties lands one in Vaitaraṇī, the river of hell. Privilege carries duty; abdicating duty turns privilege into punishment. Use your position; don't just enjoy it.

Reflection Questions

Which advantages of my birth or upbringing have I been enjoying without taking on the duties they imply?
What duty, if I owned it, would convert privilege into service?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io