Shloka 45

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

Devanagari script

इति ते व्यास संप्रोक्ता नरकस्य स्थितिर्मया । प्रसंख्यानाच्च वैराग्यं शृणु पापगतिं च ताम्

Transliteration

iti te vyāsa saṃproktā narakasya sthitirmayā | prasaṃkhyānācca vairāgyaṃ śṛṇu pāpagatiṃ ca tām

Translation

Thus, O Vyāsa, I have explained to you the condition and nature of hell. Now listen—through a clear reckoning of these consequences arises vairāgya, dispassion; and hear also the very course and destiny of sin.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इति-शब्दः (quotative particle)

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (Pronoun); द्वितीया/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Acc./Dat.), एकवचन (Singular)

• व्यास: O Vyāsa
• व्यास: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति (Vocative), एकवचन

• संप्रोक्ता: has been fully told
• संप्रोक्ता: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam + pra√vac (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (Past Passive Participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स्थितिः’ इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• नरकस्य: of hell
• नरकस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्थितिः: the condition/state
• स्थितिः: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthiti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• प्रसङ्ख्यानात्: from counting/enumeration
• प्रसङ्ख्यानात्: Hetu (हेतु/cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prasaṃkhyāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• वैराग्यम्: dispassion
• वैराग्यम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vairāgya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शृणु: hear
• शृणु: Kriyā (क्रिया/command)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पाप-गतिम्: the sinful course/destination
• पाप-गतिम्: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa + gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘गतिम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vyasa

FAQs

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

The verse teaches that sober contemplation of karmic consequences—especially the suffering born of sin—awakens vairāgya (detachment), which is a key inner condition for turning toward Shiva as Pati (the Liberator) and moving from bondage (pāśa) toward freedom.

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

By highlighting the grim trajectory of pāpa, the verse urges the seeker to shift from worldly impulses to refuge in Saguna Shiva—worship of the Linga with devotion and purity—so that karmic stains are attenuated and the mind becomes fit for Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily self-audit of actions (prasaṃkhyāna), followed by Shiva-japa—especially the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to cultivate detachment and redirect the mind toward dharma and liberation.