Shloka 54

नरकयातनावर्णनम् / Description of Hell-Torments for Specific Transgressions

Devanagari script

सुकृतस्य फलं नोक्तं गुरुपा पप्रभावतः । न मिनोति सुखं तत्र भोगैर्बहुभिरन्वितः

Transliteration

sukṛtasya phalaṃ noktaṃ gurupā paprabhāvataḥ | na minoti sukhaṃ tatra bhogairbahubhiranvitaḥ

Translation

Because of the powerful influence of grave sins, the fruit of one’s meritorious deeds is not manifested. There, even when endowed with many enjoyments, a person does not truly attain undiminished happiness.

Word by Word

• sukṛtasya: of good deed/merit
• sukṛtasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

• phalam: fruit; result
• phalam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेधार्थक अव्यय)

• uktam: is said; has been stated
• uktam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac + ukta (वच् धातु; क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); used predicatively with implied 'asti'

• guru-pāpa-prabhāvataḥ: due to the influence of grave sin
• guru-pāpa-prabhāvataḥ: Hetu/Apadana (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); समासः: 'guru-pāpasya prabhāvaḥ' (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष) + तस्मात् (पञ्चमी)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेधार्थक अव्यय)

• minoti: diminishes; lessens
• minoti: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mī (मी धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• sukham: happiness; comfort
• sukham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• tatra: there; in that case
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb of place/context (देश/प्रसङ्गवाचक अव्यय)

• bhogaiḥ: by enjoyments; with pleasures
• bhogaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• bahubhiḥ: by many
• bahubhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with 'bhogaiḥ'

• anvitaḥ: endowed; accompanied
• anvitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √i + anvita (इ धातु; क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त) used adjectivally, Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It teaches that heavy pāpa (sin) functions as pasha (bondage) that veils the ripening of sukṛta (merit). Hence, even outward prosperity and pleasures cannot yield stable inner sukha; liberation-oriented life requires purification and turning to Pati (Shiva).

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

In Shaiva practice, worship of Saguna Shiva through the Linga is a purifying discipline that reduces pāpa and restores the capacity for merit to bear fruit, ultimately redirecting the seeker from transient bhoga to Shiva-centered peace and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is purification: regular Shiva-puja (especially Linga abhisheka), japa of the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and adopting Shaiva disciplines like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudraksha with ethical restraint to weaken pāpa’s obstructing force.