Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

मुद्गरैर्लोहदण्डैश्च हन्यमाना मुहुर्मुहुः । कंटकैर्विविधैर्घोरैर्ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभैः

Transliteration

mudgarairlohadaṇḍaiśca hanyamānā muhurmuhuḥ | kaṃṭakairvividhairghorairjvalanārkasamaprabhaiḥ

Translation

Again and again they are beaten with mallets and iron rods, and tormented by many kinds of dreadful spikes, blazing with a radiance like the flaming sun—thus they suffer the binding power of pāśa when the soul turns away from Śiva, the liberating Lord (Pati).

Word by Word

• मुद्गरैः: by clubs/maces
• मुद्गरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुद्गर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण) बहुवचनम्

• लोहदण्डैः: by iron rods
• लोहदण्डैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह (प्रातिपदिक) + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण) बहुवचनम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोहेन निर्मितः दण्डः)

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

• हन्यमानाः: being struck/killed
• हन्यमानाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि-प्रयोगे शानच्-प्रत्ययान्तः वर्तमानकृदन्तः (Present passive participle); पुल्लिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st) बहुवचनम्

• मुहुः: again and again
• मुहुः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• मुहुः: repeatedly
• मुहुः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुहुः (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time); पुनरुक्ति (reduplication for emphasis)

• कण्टकैः: by thorns/spikes
• कण्टकैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण) बहुवचनम्

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (कण्टकैः)

• घोरैः: terrible
• घोरैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (कण्टकैः)

• ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभैः: having a glow like fire and the sun
• ज्वलनार्कसमप्रभैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वलन (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd) बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः—ज्वलनस्य अर्कस्य च समा प्रभा यस्य (those whose radiance is like fire and sun); विशेषणम् (कण्टकैः)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse portrays the harsh fruits of bondage (pāśa): when the pashu (individual soul) is driven by ignorance and karma, it undergoes repeated torment; liberation comes by returning to Pati—Lord Shiva—through devotion, right conduct, and inner purification.

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

By contrasting suffering under bondage with the peace of refuge, it implicitly urges surrender to Saguna Shiva—worship of the Śiva-liṅga as the compassionate, accessible form of Pati who burns karmas and grants protection and release.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady Shiva-upāsanā: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), wearing rudrākṣa and applying tripuṇḍra-bhasma with remembrance of Shiva, as disciplines that reduce pāśa and orient the mind toward moksha.