Shloka 18

नरकयातनावर्णनम् / Description of Hell-Torments for Specific Transgressions

Devanagari script

देवाग्निगुरुविप्रेभ्यश्चानिवेद्य प्रभुंजते । लोहकीलशतैस्तप्तैस्तज्जिह्वास्यं च पूर्य्यते

Transliteration

devāgniguruviprebhyaścānivedya prabhuṃjate | lohakīlaśataistaptaistajjihvāsyaṃ ca pūryyate

Translation

One who eats without first offering a share to the Devas, to the sacred fire, to the Guru, and to the Brāhmaṇas—his mouth and tongue are, in the next state, filled and pierced with hundreds of red‑hot iron nails.

Word by Word

• देवाग्निगुरुविप्रेभ्यः: to gods, fire, teachers, and brahmins
• देवाग्निगुरुविप्रेभ्यः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-अग्नि-गुरु-विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), बहुवचन; समाहार-द्वन्द्वः—देवाश्च अग्निश्च गुरवश्च विप्राश्च (to gods, fire, gurus, and brahmins)

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

• अनिवेद्य: without offering (first)
• अनिवेद्य: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-विद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); ‘निवेद्य’ = निवेदनं कृत्वा, अ-निवेद्य = निवेदनं अकृत्वा (without offering/informing)

• प्रभुञ्जते: they eat/enjoy
• प्रभुञ्जते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद; प्र-उपसर्गः

• लोहकीलशतैः: with a hundred iron nails
• लोहकीलशतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह-कील-शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), बहुवचन; समासः—लोहस्य कीलाः, तेषां शतम् (a hundred iron nails)

• तप्तैः: heated, red-hot
• तप्तैः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; तप् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle) विशेषणम्

• तत्: his
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/genitive), एकवचन; ‘तस्य’ (of him/that)

• जिह्वा: tongue
• जिह्वा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासपूर्वपदत्वेन

• आस्यम्: mouth
• आस्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

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

• पूर्यते: is filled
• पूर्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Characters & Entities

• Agni
• Devas
• Guru
• Brahmanas

FAQs

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

It teaches that eating is a sacred act: when one consumes without gratitude and rightful offering, the act becomes selfish enjoyment that binds karma; honoring Devas, Agni, Guru, and Brāhmaṇas purifies the eater and supports dharma.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship, naivedya and respectful distribution are part of disciplined devotion; offering first aligns the household act of eating with worship, transforming bhoga (enjoyment) into prasāda-oriented living under Shiva’s dharmic order.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer a portion of food as naivedya (to Shiva/Devas), honor the sacred fire where applicable, and share with Guru/Brāhmaṇas or the deserving before eating—then partake as prasāda with the remembrance of Shiva (e.g., mentally repeating the Panchākṣarī, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”).