Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

प्रेता भूत्वा विवस्त्राश्च शुष्ककंठौष्ठतालुकाः । असौम्या भयभीताश्च दह्यमानाः क्षुधान्विताः

Transliteration

pretā bhūtvā vivastrāśca śuṣkakaṃṭhauṣṭhatālukāḥ | asaumyā bhayabhītāśca dahyamānāḥ kṣudhānvitāḥ

Translation

Becoming wandering pretas, they remain unclothed, their throat, lips, and palate dried up. Devoid of auspiciousness and seized by fear, they feel as though they are being burned, and they are tormented by hunger.

Word by Word

• प्रेताः: departed spirits / pretas
• प्रेताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative, 1st case), बहुवचन (Plural)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive), अर्थः: 'having become'

• विवस्त्राः: naked
• विवस्त्राः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विवस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• शुष्क-कण्ठ-ओष्ठ-तालुकाः: with dry throat, lips, and palate
• शुष्क-कण्ठ-ओष्ठ-तालुकाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुष्क (प्रातिपदिक) + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + ओष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) + तालुका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (बहुपद-समास): 'having dry throat, lips, and palate'

• असौम्याः: grim / unpleasant
• असौम्याः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असौम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भय-भीताः: terrified
• भय-भीताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक) + भीत (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'frightened by fear' (= very afraid)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दह्यमानाः: being burned
• दह्यमानाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कर्मणि कृदन्त (Present passive participle, शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• क्षुधा-अन्विताः: afflicted with hunger
• क्षुधा-अन्विताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्वित (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्ताधारित)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: 'endowed with hunger'

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Āghoramūrti

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: liberating

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It depicts the post-death suffering that arises from karmic bondage (pāśa): when the soul (paśu) remains turned away from Shiva (Pati), it experiences fear, burning distress, and insatiable hunger—symbols of unfulfilled craving and separation from auspicious consciousness.

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

The Linga worship centers the mind on Shiva as the auspicious Lord who dissolves impurity and fear. By taking refuge in Saguna Shiva through devotion, japa, and pūjā, the devotee seeks protection from inauspicious states described here and moves toward Shiva’s grace and liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady Panchakshara japa—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—with daily Shiva-pūjā (often with bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and Rudrākṣa in Shaiva practice) to purify karmic tendencies that lead to fearful, hunger-driven states after death.