Shloka 4

सामान्यतो नरकगतिवर्णनम्

General Description of the Course of Hell / Naraka-gati

Devanagari script

ततस्ते सर्वयत्नेन क्षिप्ता दोलंति किंकरैः । दोलंतश्चातिवेगेन विसंज्ञा यांति योजनम्

Transliteration

tataste sarvayatnena kṣiptā dolaṃti kiṃkaraiḥ | dolaṃtaścātivegena visaṃjñā yāṃti yojanam

Translation

Then those servants, exerting themselves with all their might, hurled them onto the swing. As they were swung with tremendous speed, they lost consciousness and were carried for a yojana’s distance.

Word by Word

• ततः: then
• ततः: क्रियाविशेषण (Temporal/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then)

• ते: they
• ते: कर्म/कर्ता (Coreferent ‘they’/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• सर्व-यत्नेन: with all effort
• सर्व-यत्नेन: करण (Means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + यत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (सर्वः यत्नः)

• क्षिप्ताः: thrown
• क्षिप्ताः: कर्म (Patient in passive/कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (Past Passive Participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• दोलन्ति: swing
• दोलन्ति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दोल् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• किंकरैः: by the servants
• किंकरैः: कर्ता (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

• दोलन्तः: while swinging
• दोलन्तः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दोल् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकर्तरि कृदन्त (Present Active Participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• अति-वेगेन: with great speed
• अति-वेगेन: करण (Manner/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अति (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + वेग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (अतिशयितः वेगः)

• वि-संज्ञाः: unconscious
• वि-संज्ञाः: कर्ता (Subject qualifier/कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि (उपसर्ग) + संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (te)

• यान्ति: go
• यान्ति: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• योजनम्: a yojana (distance)
• योजनम्: कर्म (Extent/measure as object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It depicts the helplessness of the bound soul (paśu) when driven by forces of bondage (pāśa)—here symbolized by attendants and violent motion—until grace and right knowledge restore stability; in Shaiva Siddhanta, only Pati (Shiva) ultimately releases the soul from such compulsions.

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

The verse contrasts uncontrolled, externally driven experience with the steadiness gained through taking refuge in Saguna Shiva—worship of the Linga centers the mind and aligns the devotee with Shiva’s protecting, liberating power (anugraha), countering the turbulence of bondage.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is cultivating steadiness through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and regular Linga-puja; these practices pacify mental ‘velocity’ and support Shiva-oriented recollection rather than unconscious, compulsive drifting.