Shloka 38

नरकयातनावर्णनम् / Description of Hell-Torments for Specific Transgressions

Devanagari script

पश्यंति त्रिदिवं यांति तस्माद्दद्याद्दिनेदिने । मण्डलं चतुरस्रं तु कृत्वा गंधादिवासितम्

Transliteration

paśyaṃti tridivaṃ yāṃti tasmāddadyāddinedine | maṇḍalaṃ caturasraṃ tu kṛtvā gaṃdhādivāsitam

Translation

Sie schauen den göttlichen Zustand und gelangen in die himmlischen Welten; darum soll man es Tag für Tag darbringen—nachdem man ein quadratisches Maṇḍala bereitet und es mit Düften und dergleichen wohlriechend gemacht hat, als glückverheißende Stütze der Verehrung.

Word by Word

• पश्यन्ति: they see
• पश्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• त्रिदिवम्: the heaven (svarga)
• त्रिदिवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); समासः त्रि+दिव (three + heaven)

• यान्ति: they go
• यान्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• तस्मात्: therefore
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable) प्रयोगः; अर्थे—‘therefore/from that reason’ (तस्मात् इति हेतौ/तस्मादर्थे)

• दद्यात्: one should give
• दद्यात्: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपदम्, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• दिने: in (each) day
• दिने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• दिने: day by day
• दिने: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), सप्तमी विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular); पुनरुक्ति—‘day by day’

• मण्डलम्: a circle/diagram
• मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• चतुरस्रम्: square (four-cornered)
• चतुरस्रम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुरस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणम् मण्डलम् प्रति; समासः चतुर्+अस्र (four-cornered)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), अर्थे—‘but/indeed’

• कृत्वा: having made
• कृत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अर्थे—‘having done/made’

• गन्ध-आदि-वासितम्: perfumed with fragrance etc.
• गन्ध-आदि-वासितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + वासित (कृदन्त; √वास्/वासय् caus. धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); विशेषणम् मण्डलम् प्रति; समासः गन्धादिभिः वासितम् (perfumed with fragrance etc.); वासित = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma-saṁhitā teaching to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Daily offering with maṇḍala discipline is presented as a meritorious Śaiva observance leading to ‘tridiva’ (higher worlds) and auspicious vision.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes nitya-karma bhakti—steady daily offering in a sanctified space—which purifies the paśu (bound soul) and leads toward higher states of experience and post-mortem ascent to divine realms by Shiva’s grace.

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

The square maṇḍala is a ritual support that establishes purity and auspicious order for Saguna Shiva worship, commonly used as a prepared ground for offerings, fragrances, and focused devotion directed to Shiva (often via the Liṅga).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Create a clean square maṇḍala, scent it with gandha (fragrance) and related offerings, and perform daily giving/offerings with steady remembrance—ideally alongside mantra-japa such as the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya).