Shiva Purana — Uma Samhita, Adhyaya 7, Shloka 27

नरकलोकमार्गयमदूतस्वरूपवर्णनम् / Description of the Path to Naraka and the Nature of Yama’s Messengers

Devanagari script

विषमेणैव महता निर्जनापाश्रयेण च । तमोरूपेण कष्टेन सर्वदुष्टाश्रयेण च

Transliteration

viṣameṇaiva mahatā nirjanāpāśrayeṇa ca | tamorūpeṇa kaṣṭena sarvaduṣṭāśrayeṇa ca

Translation

إنه حقًّا موضعٌ مُرعبٌ شديدُ الخطر—فسيحٌ موحشٌ كملجأٍ منفرد، مغمورٌ بظلمةٍ مؤلمة، ومأوى لكل صنوف الأشرار.

Word by Word

• विषमेण: uneven, difficult
• विषमेण: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विषम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (मार्गेण—पूर्वश्लोकान्वयः)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (emphasis: indeed/only)

• महता: great, very (intense)
• महता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• निर्जनापाश्रयेण: having no refuge of people / without human shelter
• निर्जनापाश्रयेण: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्जन-अपाश्रय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (निर्जनस्य अपाश्रयः/आश्रयाभावः) विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तमोरूपेण: dark in form
• तमोरूपेण: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तमस्-रूप (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (तमसः रूपम्) विशेषणम्

• कष्टेन: painful, harsh
• कष्टेन: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• सर्वदुष्टाश्रयेण: a resort of all wicked beings
• सर्वदुष्टाश्रयेण: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-दुष्ट-आश्रय (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां दुष्टानाम् आश्रयः) विशेषणम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse describes a tamasic, painful state of existence—symbolic of pasha (bondage) where consciousness is covered by darkness and drawn toward unwholesome supports; Shaiva Siddhanta reads this as the soul’s condition when separated from Shiva’s grace and right knowledge.

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

Such descriptions contrast the refuge of darkness with the true refuge—Saguna Shiva in the Linga—whose worship purifies tamas and redirects the soul from duṣṭa-āśraya (wrong supports) to Shiva as the supreme āśraya (shelter).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is tamas-shamana: daily japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), wearing Rudraksha with devotion, and applying Tripundra (bhasma) to cultivate purity and steadiness away from dark influences.