Shloka 2

नरकलोकवर्णनम् (Narakaloka-varṇanam) — Description of the Hell-Realms

Devanagari script

यस्त्वयं क्रियते कर्म तदिदं भुज्यते पुनः । तत्किमात्मोपघातार्थं भवद्भिर्दुष्कृतं कृतम्

Transliteration

yastvayaṃ kriyate karma tadidaṃ bhujyate punaḥ | tatkimātmopaghātārthaṃ bhavadbhirduṣkṛtaṃ kṛtam

Translation

Whatever action is performed here, its result must surely be experienced again. Why, then, have you committed evil deeds—only to bring ruin upon your own self?

Word by Word

• yaḥ: which/that (he who)
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अन्वयबोधक अव्यय (particle: but/indeed)

• ayam: this
• ayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• kriyate: is done
• kriyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• karma: action/deed
• karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (कर्मन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• idam: this (very)
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (इदम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhujyate: is experienced/enjoyed/suffered
• bhujyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhuj (भुज् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक अव्यय (adverb: again)

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• kim: what?
• kim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (किम् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• ātma-upaghāta-artham: for the purpose of self-harm
• ātma-upaghāta-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/उद्देश्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (आत्मन् प्रातिपदिक) + upaghāta (उपघात प्रातिपदिक) + artha (अर्थ प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (purpose: -अर्थम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• bhavadbhiḥ: by you (all)
• bhavadbhiḥ: Kartṛ-karaṇa (कर्तृकरण/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavat (भवत् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural)

• duṣkṛtam: evil deed/sin
• duṣkṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: duṣkṛta (दुष्कृत, कृदन्त from √kṛ with dus- upasarga, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used substantively)

• kṛtam: done/committed
• kṛtam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛta (कृत, कृदन्त from √kṛ, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन (Singular); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), here predicative: 'done'

Speaker

Lord Shiva (instructing beings in Umāsaṃhitā’s philosophical discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It states the karmic law: every deed bears fruit that must be experienced, so knowingly choosing sin is choosing one’s own suffering and deeper bondage (pāśa) rather than moving toward Shiva (Pati) and liberation.

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

By turning the mind from harmful action to dharma and devotion, the devotee becomes fit for Saguna Shiva worship (Linga-upāsanā), which purifies karma and redirects life toward grace (anugraha) and freedom from bondage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily repentance and purification through japa of the Panchākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), along with Shaiva discipline such as bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to avoid duṣkṛta and live in dharma.