Shloka 11

सामान्यतो नरकगतिवर्णनम्

General Description of the Course of Hell / Naraka-gati

Devanagari script

मेदोऽसृक्पूयपूर्णायां वाप्यां क्षिप्यंति ते पुनः । भक्ष्यंते कृमिभिस्तीक्ष्णैर्लोंहतुंडैश्च वायसैः

Transliteration

medo'sṛkpūyapūrṇāyāṃ vāpyāṃ kṣipyaṃti te punaḥ | bhakṣyaṃte kṛmibhistīkṣṇairloṃhatuṃḍaiśca vāyasaiḥ

Translation

Again they are cast into a pond filled with fat, blood, and pus; there they are devoured by fierce, sharp worms and by crows with iron-like beaks.

Word by Word

• मेदः: fat
• मेदः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: medas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता/उपपद), एकवचन (neuter nominative singular; first member in compound)

• असृक्: blood
• असृक्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asṛj/asṛk (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (neuter nominative singular; first member in compound)

• पूय: pus
• पूय: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (neuter nominative singular; first member in compound)

• पूर्णायाम्: filled (in)
• पूर्णायाम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (fem. locative singular adjective)

• वाप्याम्: in a pond/tank
• वाप्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāpī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन (fem. locative singular)

• क्षिप्यन्ति: (they) throw / are thrown
• क्षिप्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṣip (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थे पाठभेदः (here: ‘are thrown’ sense; formally active 3pl)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन (pronoun: masc. nominative plural)

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/पुनरावृत्ति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb: again)

• भक्ष्यन्ते: are eaten
• भक्ष्यन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhakṣ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (present, 3rd pl., passive: are eaten)

• कृमिभिः: by worms
• कृमिभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛmi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन (masc. instrumental plural)

• तीक्ष्णैः: sharp
• तीक्ष्णैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīkṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (masc. instrumental plural adjective)

• लोहतुण्डैः: iron-beaked
• लोहतुण्डैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: loha-tuṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (लोहमिव तुण्डं येषाम्/लोहतुण्डाः) (masc. instrumental plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction: and)

• वायसैः: by crows
• वायसैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन (masc. instrumental plural)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Naraka-yātanā (hell-torments) as karmaphala

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It emphasizes karmic retribution: embodied beings (paśu) bound by impurity and wrongdoing (pāśa) experience painful results until they turn toward purification and grace, ultimately attainable through devotion to Pati—Lord Shiva.

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

By contrasting the horror of karmic bondage with the refuge of Saguna Shiva, it implicitly points to Linga-worship and Shiva-bhakti as stabilizing disciplines that purify conduct, restrain harmful impulses, and redirect the mind toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is repentance with renewed dharma and steady Shiva-upāsanā—especially japa of the Pañcākṣarī ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), along with purificatory observances such as bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and sincere prayer for inner transformation.