Shloka 29

नरकनामनिर्णयः

Catalogue of Narakas and Karmic Causes

Devanagari script

यानि तेषामशेषाणां कर्मार्ण्युक्तानि तेषु वै । प्रायश्चित्तमशेषेण हरानुस्मरणं परम्

Transliteration

yāni teṣāmaśeṣāṇāṃ karmārṇyuktāni teṣu vai | prāyaścittamaśeṣeṇa harānusmaraṇaṃ param

Translation

Whatever acts have been spoken of regarding all people without exception—among them, the supreme and wholly complete atonement is the constant remembrance of Hara (Lord Śiva).

Word by Word

• yāni: which (things)
• yāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); relative pronoun

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• aśeṣāṇām: of all, without remainder
• aśeṣāṇām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); adjective qualifying teṣām

• karma: act, deed
• karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); first member in compound

• arṇi-uktāni: stated (therein)
• arṇi-uktāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: arṇi + ukta (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from √vac (धातु) with उपसर्ग ud-/ukta)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); past passive participle (क्त/ktá) used adjectivally; compound: karmārṇi-uktāni = ‘said in/with respect to the karmārṇi’

• teṣu: among/in those
• teṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vai: indeed
• vai: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) for emphasis

• prāyaścittam: expiation
• prāyaścittam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prāyaścitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• aśeṣeṇa: completely
• aśeṣeṇa: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental used adverbially (तृतीया-अर्थे अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोग): ‘completely/entirely’

• hara-anusmaraṇam: remembrance of Hara (Śiva)
• hara-anusmaraṇam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara + anusmaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक; from anu-√smṛ (धातु) + ल्युट्/ana)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); compound: Harasya anusmaraṇam (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); predicate adjective

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva’s teaching as preserved in the Umāsaṃhitā discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a single jyotirliṅga; it universalizes expiation by asserting that the highest prāyaścitta across all prescribed acts is Harānusmaraṇa (remembrance of Śiva).

Significance: Frames pilgrimage as interiorized: beyond external rites, constant remembrance of Hara is declared the supreme purifier, aligning tīrtha with bhakti and grace.

Mantra Metadata

Mantra: हरानुस्मरणं परम्

Type: stotra

Shakti Dimension

Role: liberating

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Karmic remediation through divine recollection—movement from pāśa (karma) toward anugraha (grace)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It declares that the highest and most complete purification is not merely external penance but unwavering remembrance of Hara—placing devotion and inner transformation above all other expiations.

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

Linga-pūjā and Saguna worship culminate in anusmaraṇa—continuous inner recollection of Shiva; the verse presents this remembrance as the essence that makes all rites spiritually effective.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Daily japa and dhyāna centered on Shiva—especially Panchākṣarī mantra remembrance (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—as a living prāyaścitta, supported by mindful worship practices like bhasma and rudrākṣa where appropriate.