Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

कंटकस्सुविशालश्च विकटः कटपूतनः । अंबरीषः कटाहश्च कष्टा वैतरणी नदी

Transliteration

kaṃṭakassuviśālaśca vikaṭaḥ kaṭapūtanaḥ | aṃbarīṣaḥ kaṭāhaśca kaṣṭā vaitaraṇī nadī

Translation

(There are) the thorn-filled region, the exceedingly vast one, the dreadful; Kaṭapūtana, Ambarīṣa, Kaṭāha; and the grievous river Vaitaraṇī.

Word by Word

• कण्टकः: thorn; (name/epithet) Kaṇṭaka
• कण्टकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कण्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नामपदम्

• सुविशालः: very large
• सुविशालः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु- (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + विशाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; कर्मधारय-समास (सु + विशाल = very large)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• विकटः: terrible; formidable (Vikaṭa)
• विकटः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विकट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण/नामवत् (epithet)

• कटपूतनः: Kaṭapūtana (name/epithet)
• कटपूतनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कट + पूतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/सम्बन्ध-तत्पुरुष (interpretive: 'of/connected with Kaṭa')

• अम्बरीषः: Ambarīṣa (name)
• अम्बरीषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बरीष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नामपदम्

• कटाहः: Kaṭāha (name; cauldron)
• कटाहः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटाह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नामपदम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• कष्टा: difficult; painful
• कष्टा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• वैतरणी: Vaitaraṇī (name of a river)
• वैतरणी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैतरणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नामपदम्

• नदी: river
• नदी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; जातिवाचक-नाम

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

FAQs

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

The verse lists fearsome stations of post-death suffering, highlighting the Shaiva Siddhanta theme that karmic bondage (pāśa) leads the bound soul (paśu) into painful states, while refuge in Pati (Shiva) is the way to transcend them.

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

By contrasting terrifying afterlife consequences with the implied refuge in Shiva, it supports Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-bhakti—as a stabilizing path of surrender, purification, and grace that helps the soul cross such dreadful passages.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is steady Shiva-upāsanā: daily japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of renunciation and purity, undertaken with repentance and ethical living to reduce karmic burdens.