Shloka 3

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

Devanagari script

शुभाशुभफलं चात्र देहिनां संविचार्यते । चित्रगुप्तादिभिस्सर्वैर्वसिष्ठप्रमुखैस्तथा

Transliteration

śubhāśubhaphalaṃ cātra dehināṃ saṃvicāryate | citraguptādibhissarvairvasiṣṭhapramukhaistathā

Translation

Here, the auspicious and inauspicious fruits of embodied beings are duly examined—by all the assessors beginning with Chitragupta, and likewise by sages headed by Vasiṣṭha.

Word by Word

• शुभाशुभफलं: the fruit of good and bad (deeds)
• शुभाशुभफलं: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ + अशुभ + फल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); द्वन्द्व (समाहार): शुभं च अशुभं च (good and bad) + फलम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (समुच्चय-अव्यय)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• देहिनां: of embodied beings
• देहिनां: Sambandha/Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• संविचार्यते: is examined; is deliberated
• संविचार्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-वि-चर् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), Passive voice (कर्मणि), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• चित्रगुप्तादिभिः: by (those) beginning with Citragupta
• चित्रगुप्तादिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रगुप्त + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष: चित्रगुप्तः आदिः येषां ते (beginning with Citragupta)

• सर्वैः: by all
• सर्वैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying (ऋषिभिः/जनैः understood)

• वसिष्ठप्रमुखैः: by (those) headed by Vasiṣṭha
• वसिष्ठप्रमुखैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वसिष्ठ + प्रमुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष: वसिष्ठः प्रमुखः येषां ते (headed by Vasiṣṭha)

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/particle (तुल्यार्थक-अव्यय)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purāṇic teaching to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Reinforces dharma and karmic accountability; motivates recourse to Śiva as the transcendent governor beyond the adjudicatory apparatus.

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Post-mortem karmaphala-vicāra (audit of śubha/aśubha) in Yama’s court

Characters & Entities

• Chitragupta
• Vasistha

FAQs

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

The verse highlights the moral order of karma: every embodied being’s deeds yield precise results that are examined by cosmic authorities. In Shaiva Siddhanta, this underscores pasha (bondage) through karma, and the need for Shiva’s grace and right practice to move toward liberation.

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

By stressing karmic accountability, the verse indirectly points to the refuge of Saguna Shiva—worship of the Linga with devotion and purity is taught as a means to cleanse karmic impurities and align the soul (pashu) toward Pati (Shiva).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to live with continual self-audit of actions and to adopt Shaiva disciplines—regular japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) dhāraṇa, and sincere bhakti—so that inauspicious karmas are reduced and auspicious tendencies strengthened.