Shloka 13

सामान्यतो नरकगतिवर्णनम्

General Description of the Course of Hell / Naraka-gati

Devanagari script

भिन्नाः शूलैस्तु तीक्ष्णैश्च नराः पापेन कर्म्मणा । तैलयन्त्रेषु चाक्रम्य घोरैः कर्म्मभिरात्मनः

Transliteration

bhinnāḥ śūlaistu tīkṣṇaiśca narāḥ pāpena karmmaṇā | tailayantreṣu cākramya ghoraiḥ karmmabhirātmanaḥ

Translation

Karena perbuatan dosa, manusia-manusia itu ditikam oleh tombak-tombak tajam; dan akibat kengerian dari karma mereka sendiri, mereka didorong ke mesin pemeras minyak lalu dihancurkan.

Word by Word

• भिन्नाः: split / pierced
• भिन्नाः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhid (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त past passive participle)

• शूलैः: by spears / tridents
• शूलैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन (neuter instrumental plural)

• तु: indeed / but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: but/indeed; emphasis)

• तीक्ष्णैः: sharp
• तीक्ष्णैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tīkṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with शूलैः)

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

• नराः: men / persons
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), बहुवचन (masc. nominative plural)

• पापेन: by sin / through evil
• पापेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन (neuter instrumental singular)

• कर्मणा: by action/deed
• कर्मणा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन (neuter instrumental singular)

• तैलयन्त्रेषु: in oil-press machines
• तैलयन्त्रेषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: taila-yantra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (तैलस्य यन्त्राणि) (neuter locative plural)

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

• आक्रम्य: having trampled / having stepped upon
• आक्रम्य: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकालः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ā-√kram (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund): ‘having stepped/pressed’

• घोरैः: terrible
• घोरैः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ghora (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (agreeing with कर्म्मभिः)

• कर्म्मभिः: by deeds / acts
• कर्म्मभिः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन (neuter instrumental plural)

• आत्मनः: of themselves / their own
• आत्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (masc. genitive singular)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma Samhita’s teaching to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Karmic retribution framed as self-wrought (ātma-kṛta) consequence

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Naraka
• Karma

FAQs

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

It teaches the Shaiva principle that bondage (pāśa) is created by one’s own karma: painful states are not random punishment but the ripening of pāpa, urging the soul (paśu) toward purification, repentance, and turning to Pati (Shiva) for liberation.

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

By highlighting the terror of karmic consequence, the text implicitly directs the devotee to Saguna Shiva worship—Linga-pūjā, devotion, and surrender—as a remedial path for purification and grace, transforming the karmic trajectory toward śuddhi and moksha.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily Shiva-smaraṇa with the Panchakshara ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), along with repentance (prāyaścitta) and ethical restraint; traditional Shaiva supports like vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudrākṣa may be adopted as aids to steady devotion and purity.