Shloka 40

नरकनामनिर्णयः

Catalogue of Narakas and Karmic Causes

Devanagari script

एवमेतन्मयाख्यातं सर्वं नरकमण्डलम् । अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रवक्ष्यामि सांप्रतं मंडलं भुवः

Transliteration

evametanmayākhyātaṃ sarvaṃ narakamaṇḍalam | ata ūrdhvaṃ pravakṣyāmi sāṃprataṃ maṃḍalaṃ bhuvaḥ

Translation

Thus have I explained to you in full the entire sphere of the hell-realms. Now, going further upward, I shall presently describe the sphere of Bhū, the earth-world.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); demonstrative used for the described topic

• मया: by me
• मया: Karaṇa (करण/instrument; agentive ‘by me’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); first-person pronoun

• आख्यातम्: has been explained/told
• आख्यातम्: Kriyā (क्रिया; participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-ख्या (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (कृत्: क्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); predicate with ‘एतत्’

• सर्वम्: entire
• सर्वम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); विशेषण of ‘नरकमण्डलम्’

• नरकमण्डलम्: the sphere/region of hell
• नरकमण्डलम्: Samānādhikaraṇa/Predicate noun (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक-मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक; नरक + मण्डल)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘of hell’)

• अतः: thereafter / therefore
• अतः: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतः (अव्यय)
• Form: Ablative adverb (अव्यय): ‘thereafter/therefore/from this’

• ऊर्ध्वम्: above / upwards
• ऊर्ध्वम्: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण; direction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऊर्ध्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Adverbial accusative (द्वितीया-अर्थे अव्ययीभाववत्): ‘upwards/above’

• प्रवक्ष्यामि: I shall explain
• प्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वच् (धातु)
• Form: Future (लृट्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); परस्मैपद

• साम्प्रतम्: now
• साम्प्रतम्: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साम्प्रत (प्रातिपदिक/अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (कालवाचक-अव्यय): ‘now/at present’

• मण्डलम्: sphere/region
• मण्डलम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मण्डल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); object of ‘प्रवक्ष्यामि’

• भुवः: of the earth/world
• भुवः: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुव्/भू (प्रातिपदिक: भुव्)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

FAQs

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

It marks a transition from describing karmic consequences (naraka) to the human realm (bhū-loka), implying that embodied life is the crucial field where the soul (paśu) can choose dharma, devotion, and Shiva-oriented discipline to loosen bondage (pāśa) and move toward liberation under Pati (Śiva).

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

By contrasting lower realms born of harmful karma with the earth realm where worship is possible, it underscores that bhū-loka is the place to take refuge in Saguna Shiva—through Linga worship, mantra, and right conduct—thereby transforming karma and turning the mind toward Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is to use human birth for Shiva-sādhana—daily remembrance of Shiva with mantra-japa (especially the Panchakshara), and disciplined conduct—so that one avoids painful karmic destinations and progresses upward in consciousness.