Shloka 36

नरकयातनावर्णनम् / Description of Hell-Torments for Specific Transgressions

Devanagari script

ये वा वरुणवायव्या याम्या नैरृत्यवायसाः । वायसा पुण्यकर्माणस्ते प्रगृह्णंतु मे बलिम्

Transliteration

ye vā varuṇavāyavyā yāmyā nairṛtyavāyasāḥ | vāyasā puṇyakarmāṇaste pragṛhṇaṃtu me balim

Translation

May those virtuous crows who belong to the quarters of Varuṇa and Vāyu, of Yama, and of the Nirṛti direction—crows engaged in meritorious deeds—accept this offering (bali) from me.

Word by Word

• ये: who (those)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or)

• वरुण-वायव्याः: (those) of Varuṇa and Vāyu (quarters)
• वरुण-वायव्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वरुण (प्रातिपदिक) + वायव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (copulative) ‘वरुणाश्च वायव्याश्च’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• याम्याः: (those) of Yama’s quarter (southern)
• याम्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: याम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नैरृत्य-वायसाः: crows of the Nirṛti quarter
• नैरृत्य-वायसाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नैरृत्य (प्रातिपदिक) + वायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative) ‘नैरृत्य-दिशि वायसाः/नैरृत्यसम्बन्धिनः वायसाः’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• वायसाः: crows
• वायसाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वायस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• पुण्य-कर्माणः: of meritorious deeds
• पुण्य-कर्माणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष ‘पुण्यं कर्म येषाम्’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण (वायसाः)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रगृह्णन्तु: let them accept/take
• प्रगृह्णन्तु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• बलिम्: offering
• बलिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बलि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

A devotee/ritual performer within the Umāsaṃhitā narrative (as recounted by Sūta Gosvāmin)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: ye vā varuṇavāyavyā yāmyā nairṛtyavāyasāḥ | vāyasā puṇyakarmāṇaste pragṛhṇaṃtu me balim

Type: stotra

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Varuna
• Vayu
• Yama
• Nirrti

FAQs

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

It sanctifies the act of offering (bali) by acknowledging cosmic order—directions and their beings—so the devotee’s worship becomes harmonized, non-violent in intent, and conducive to inner purity on the Shaiva path.

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

In Saguna Shiva worship, the devotee maintains ritual completeness around the Linga by honoring the quarters and their presences; this supports a disciplined, reverent environment where devotion can mature toward steadiness and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Offer a small bali portion with a prayer of goodwill to beings of the directions, then return to Shiva-japa (e.g., the Panchakshara ‘Om Namaḥ Śivāya’) with a mind free from fear, hostility, or neglect of dharma.