Shloka 16

नरकनामनिर्णयः

Catalogue of Narakas and Karmic Causes

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे पञ्चम्यामुमासंहितायां ब्रह्माण्डवर्णने नरकोद्धारवर्णनं नाम षोडशोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe pañcamyāmumāsaṃhitāyāṃ brahmāṇḍavarṇane narakoddhāravarṇanaṃ nāma ṣoḍaśo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

આ રીતે શ્રીશિવમહાપુરાણના પંચમ ઉમાસંહિતામાં, બ્રહ્માંડવર્ણન વિભાગમાં ‘નરકોદ્ધારવર્ણન’ નામનો સોળમો અધ્યાય સમાપ્ત થયો।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसंहारार्थक अव्यय (quotative/closing particle)

• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• श्री-शिव-महा-पुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (name-title compound)

• पञ्चम्याम्: in the fifth (book)
• पञ्चम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ordinal adjective used substantively

• उमा-संहितायाम्: in the Umāsaṃhitā
• उमा-संहितायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उमा (प्रातिपदिक) + संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (उमायाः संहिता)

• ब्रह्माण्ड-वर्णने: in the section on the description of the universe
• ब्रह्माण्ड-वर्णने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्माण्डस्य वर्णनम्)

• नरक-उद्धार-वर्णनम्: the narration of deliverance from hell
• नरक-उद्धार-वर्णनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक) + उद्धार (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्णन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नरकस्य उद्धारस्य वर्णनम्)

• नाम: named
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: संज्ञा-निर्देशक अव्यय (indeclinable indicating title: ‘named’)

• षोडशः: sixteenth
• षोडशः: Kartṛ-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षोडश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ordinal adjective

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami (traditional Purāṇic colophon context, concluding narration to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Uma (Parvati)

FAQs

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

This is a colophon marking the completion of a chapter focused on “narakoddhāra” (uplift from hell), emphasizing the Purāṇic theme that bondage and suffering are overcome through Śiva’s grace and right orientation of the soul toward Pati (the Lord).

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

Though this line is a chapter-ending marker, the chapter title signals a core Purāṇic teaching: devotion to Saguna Śiva (often through Liṅga worship) is presented as a practical means for purification and release from the consequences of pāpa, culminating in movement toward liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The verse itself prescribes no specific rite, but the chapter theme commonly aligns with Shaiva practices such as sincere repentance, japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and regular Liṅga-pūjā with bhasma and devotion as disciplines for inner purification.