Shloka 12

सामान्यतो नरकगतिवर्णनम्

General Description of the Course of Hell / Naraka-gati

Devanagari script

श्वभिर्द्दंशैर्वृकैर्व्याघ्रैर्रौद्रैश्च विकृताननैः । पच्यंते मत्स्यवच्चापि प्रदीप्तांगारराशिषु

Transliteration

śvabhirddaṃśairvṛkairvyāghrairraudraiśca vikṛtānanaiḥ | pacyaṃte matsyavaccāpi pradīptāṃgārarāśiṣu

Translation

They are tormented by fierce dogs, biting beasts, wolves and tigers with dreadful, distorted faces; and they are also roasted like fish upon heaps of blazing embers.

Word by Word

• श्वभिः: by dogs
• श्वभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śvan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन (masc. instrumental plural)

• दंशैः: by biters / fanged creatures
• दंशैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन (masc. instrumental plural)

• वृकैः: by wolves
• वृकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन (masc. instrumental plural)

• व्याघ्रैः: by tigers
• व्याघ्रैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāghra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन (masc. instrumental plural)

• रौद्रैः: fierce
• रौद्रैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: raudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (masc. instrumental plural adjective)

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

• विकृताननैः: with distorted faces
• विकृताननैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vikṛta-ānana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः (विकृतम् आननं येषाम्) (masc. instrumental plural)

• पच्यन्ते: are cooked / are tormented by heat
• पच्यन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pac (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमानकाल), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (present, 3rd pl., passive: are cooked)

• मत्स्यवत्: like fish
• मत्स्यवत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: matsya-vat (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable simile: ‘like fish’; -वत् प्रत्ययान्त)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: also/even)

• प्रदीप्ताङ्गारराशिषु: in heaps of blazing coals
• प्रदीप्ताङ्गारराशिषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradīpta-aṅgāra-rāśi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (प्रदीप्ताः अङ्गाराः तेषां राशयः) (masc. locative plural)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Kālabhairava

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Durgā

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Naraka-yātanā as karmic maturation (karma-vipāka)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• hell realms (Naraka)

FAQs

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

The verse underscores the karmic certainty of suffering for harmful actions: when the pashu (bound soul) remains tied by pasha (impurity and sin), it experiences painful consequences. In Shaiva Siddhanta, this motivates turning toward Pati—Lord Shiva—through repentance, dharma, and devotion to transcend bondage.

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

By depicting the terror of naraka, the text implicitly points to refuge in Saguna Shiva—worship of the Shiva-Linga with bhakti and purity of conduct—as a transformative path that burns impurities and redirects the soul from karmic downfall toward Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily remembrance of Shiva through japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), along with Shaiva disciplines like Tripundra (bhasma) and ethical restraint, as means to reduce pasha and cultivate Shiva-oriented living.