Shloka 28

नरकलोकमार्गयमदूतस्वरूपवर्णनम् / Description of the Path to Naraka and the Nature of Yama’s Messengers

Devanagari script

नीयंते देहिनस्सर्वे ये मूढाः पापकर्मिणः । यमदूतैर्महाघोरैस्तदाज्ञाकारिभिर्बलात्

Transliteration

nīyaṃte dehinassarve ye mūḍhāḥ pāpakarmiṇaḥ | yamadūtairmahāghoraistadājñākāribhirbalāt

Translation

All embodied beings who are deluded and engaged in sinful deeds are forcibly carried away by the most dreadful messengers of Yama, who act under his command.

Word by Word

• नीयन्ते: are led/are taken
• नीयन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नी (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural)

• देहिनः: embodied beings
• देहिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st case), बहुवचन (Plural)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st case), बहुवचन (Plural)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st case), बहुवचन (Plural), सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• मूढाः: deluded
• मूढाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मूढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st case), बहुवचन (Plural)

• पाप-कर्मिणः: sin-doers / of sinful actions
• पाप-कर्मिणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक) + कर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st case), बहुवचन (Plural); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थे (determinative: 'sinful in deeds')

• यम-दूतैः: by Yama's messengers
• यम-दूतैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम (प्रातिपदिक) + दूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd case), बहुवचन (Plural)

• महा-घोरैः: very terrible
• महा-घोरैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd case), बहुवचन (Plural)

• तत्-आज्ञा-कारिभिः: obeying his command
• तत्-आज्ञा-कारिभिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + आज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक) + कारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), तृतीया (Instrumental, 3rd case), बहुवचन (Plural); तत्पुरुष: 'his command-obeying/command-executing'

• बलात्: forcibly
• बलात्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb), अर्थः: बलपूर्वकं (by force)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas

FAQs

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

It emphasizes karmic inevitability: delusion (moha/avidyā) and sinful action strengthen pāśa (bondage), leading the jīva toward Yama’s jurisdiction rather than liberation under Pati (Lord Shiva).

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

By implication, turning from pāpakarma toward Saguna Shiva worship—Linga devotion, mantra-japa, and righteous conduct—purifies karma and loosens bondage, redirecting the soul from Yama’s path toward Shiva’s grace and upliftment.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to counter delusion and sin through Shiva-oriented sādhana such as Panchākṣarī japa (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), along with disciplines like bhasma (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa as supports for purity and remembrance of Shiva.