Shloka 20

सामान्यतो नरकगतिवर्णनम्

General Description of the Course of Hell / Naraka-gati

Devanagari script

विष्ठाभिः कृमिभिश्चापि पूर्यमाणाः क्वचित्क्वचित् । परिष्वजंति चात्युग्रां प्रदीप्तां लोहशाल्मलीम्

Transliteration

viṣṭhābhiḥ kṛmibhiścāpi pūryamāṇāḥ kvacitkvacit | pariṣvajaṃti cātyugrāṃ pradīptāṃ lohaśālmalīm

Translation

In some places, they are stuffed with filth and worms; and elsewhere, they are forced to embrace a fiercely dreadful, blazing iron śālmalī tree.

Word by Word

• विष्ठाभिः: with excrement
• विष्ठाभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• कृमिभिः: with worms
• कृमिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय; conjunction

• अपि: also
• अपि: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक-अव्यय; particle ‘also/even’

• पूर्यमाणाः: being filled
• पूर्यमाणाः: Karta (कर्ता; passive subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूर् (धातु) → पूर्यमाण (शानच्/मान)
• Form: वर्तमान-कर्मणि-प्रत्यय (मान/शानच्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; present passive participle ‘being filled’

• क्वचित्: somewhere
• क्वचित्: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/अवधिवाचक-अव्यय; adverb ‘somewhere/sometimes’

• क्वचित्: elsewhere
• क्वचित्: Deśa-adhikaraṇa (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्त-अव्यय; distributive ‘here and there’

• परिष्वजन्ति: they embrace
• परिष्वजन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-स्वज् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; Present active 3rd pl

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय; conjunction

• अति-उग्राम्: very fierce/terrible
• अति-उग्राम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति-उग्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; agrees with शाल्मलीम्

• प्रदीप्ताम्: blazing
• प्रदीप्ताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-दीप् (धातु) → प्रदीप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; past participle used adjectivally

• लोहशाल्मलीम्: the iron śālmalī tree
• लोहशाल्मलीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह-शाल्मली (प्रातिपदिक; लोह + शाल्मली)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular; ‘iron silk-cotton tree’ (hell-tree)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages, conveying the Uma Samhita’s discourse on karma and bondage)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse underscores the Shiva Purana’s karmic law: when the soul (paśu) remains bound by pasha—impurity, cruelty, and unrestrained desire—it experiences painful reactions after death. The imagery is meant to awaken vairagya (dispassion) and turn one toward Shiva as Pati, the liberator.

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

By contrasting the terror of karmic bondage with the refuge of Shiva, it implicitly directs the seeker to Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-upasana—as a purifying discipline. Devotion, repentance, and right conduct supported by Shiva-bhakti are presented as the corrective path away from such suffering.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Adopt daily Shiva-bhakti with ethical restraint: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), worship of the Shiva Linga, and purification disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudraksha as supports for self-control and inner cleansing.