Shloka 44

नरकयातनावर्णनम् / Description of Hell-Torments for Specific Transgressions

Devanagari script

वषट्कारं तथैवान्ये देवा भूतेश्वरास्तथा । हंतकारं मनुष्याश्च पिबंति सततं स्त नम्

Transliteration

vaṣaṭkāraṃ tathaivānye devā bhūteśvarāstathā | haṃtakāraṃ manuṣyāśca pibaṃti satataṃ sta nam

Translation

قومٌ يتجرّعون لفظ «فَشَط» (vaṣaṭ)، وكذلك الآلهةُ وسادةُ الكائنات. أمّا البشرُ فيتجرّعون على الدوام صرخة «هَمْتا» (haṃtā).

Word by Word

• वषट्कारम्: the ‘vaṣaṭ’ utterance
• वषट्कारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वषट् (अव्यय/उच्चारण) + कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वषट्’ इति-शब्दस्य कारः (utterance)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; manner ‘thus/likewise’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphasis

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• भूतेश्वराः: lords of beings (bhūteśvaras)
• भूतेश्वराः: Karta (कर्ता/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• तथा: also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘also/likewise’

• हंतकारम्: the ‘hanta’ utterance
• हंतकारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हन्त (अव्यय/उच्चारण) + कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘हन्त’ इति-शब्दस्य कारः

• मनुष्याः: humans
• मनुष्याः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

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

• पिबन्ति: drink
• पिबन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• सततम्: constantly
• सततम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सतत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial accusative)

• स्त: (unclear)
• स्त: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Unclear)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्त (अव्यय/सम्बोधन-प्राय)
• Form: पाठदोष/अस्पष्ट-अव्यय; सम्भाव्यं ‘स्तनम्’ इत्यादि—निश्चितं न

• नम्: (unclear)
• नम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Unclear)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नम् (धातु/अव्यय-रूप?)
• Form: पाठदोष/अस्पष्ट; सम्भाव्यं ‘न’ + ‘अम्’ इत्यादि—निश्चितं न

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Bhikṣāṭana

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

It contrasts outward, tendency-based “drinking in” of sounds—ritual calls for devas and forceful cries for humans—implying that true uplift comes when consciousness turns from habitual impulses to Shiva-centered mantra and inner discipline.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Linga/Saguna worship in the Shiva Purana emphasizes steady remembrance and devotion; this verse highlights how beings naturally cling to certain utterances, encouraging the devotee to replace restless worldly cries with Shiva’s name and contemplative worship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Prefer mantra-japa and inward steadiness—especially Shiva-nāma and the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—over reactive speech; support it with Shaiva disciplines like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as aids to focused devotion.