Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

तासां क्रमेण विज्ञेयाः पंच पञ्चैव नायकाः । प्रत्येकं सर्वकोटीनां नामतस्संनिबोधत

Transliteration

tāsāṃ krameṇa vijñeyāḥ paṃca pañcaiva nāyakāḥ | pratyekaṃ sarvakoṭīnāṃ nāmatassaṃnibodhata

Translation

Know, in due order, that within those groups there are five leaders—five for each. Now understand by name the leaders of every one of all the koṭis (multitudes).

Word by Word

• तासाम्: of those (f.)
• तासाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठीविभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• क्रमेण: in order, sequentially
• क्रमेण: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययम्; तृतीया-एकवचन-रूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् (instrumental used adverbially)

• विज्ञेयाः: to be known
• विज्ञेयाः: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि+ज्ञा (धातु) → विज्ञेय (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, भाव्य/gerundive)
• Form: कृदन्तः (तव्यत्/अनीयर्-अर्थे भाव्यः); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम्

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्; अव्ययवत्/अविकारी प्रयोगः (indeclinable-like numeral)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषणम्; अव्ययवत्/अविकारी प्रयोगः

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: सम्बन्ध-निपात (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle)

• नायकाः: leaders, chiefs (names)
• नायकाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नायक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम्

• प्रत्येकम्: each, individually
• प्रत्येकम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्रति+एक (अव्ययीभाव-समास)
• Form: अव्ययीभावसमासः; अव्ययम्; क्रियाविशेषणम्

• सर्वकोटीनाम्: of all the crores (groups)
• सर्वकोटीनाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (सर्वासां कोटीनाम्); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठीविभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम्

• नामतः: by name, name-wise
• नामतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + तस् (तद्धित/अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्तम् (ablatival adverb)

• संनिबोधत: understand/learn (you all)
• संनिबोधत: आज्ञार्थक-क्रिया (Imperative action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+नि+बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकारः (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुषः (2nd person), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Administrative structuring of naraka ‘koṭis’ and their ‘nāyakas’ (chiefs/governors). Not a Jyotirliṅga narrative.

Significance: Reinforces the idea of niyati (cosmic order) in karmic fruition; motivates dharma and Śiva-bhakti as the path beyond pāśa.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes ordered spiritual knowledge (krama) and the role of divinely appointed “leaders” for each class (koṭi), pointing to a structured cosmos ultimately governed by Pati (Shiva) in the Shaiva Siddhanta sense.

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

By stressing “names” and recognized leaders, the verse supports saguna-oriented devotion where Shiva is approached through knowable forms, titles, and lineages of divine functions—preparing the listener to honor Shiva’s manifest order while remembering his supreme lordship.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Attentive recitation and remembrance of Shiva-associated names (nāma-smaraṇa) in proper sequence—used as a devotional discipline alongside mantra-japa (such as the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) when the subsequent names are taught.