Shloka 19

नरकयातनावर्णनम् / Description of Hell-Torments for Specific Transgressions

Devanagari script

ये देवारामपुष्पाणि लोभात्संगृह्य पाणिना । जिघ्रंति च नरा भूयः शिरसा धारयंति च

Transliteration

ye devārāmapuṣpāṇi lobhātsaṃgṛhya pāṇinā | jighraṃti ca narā bhūyaḥ śirasā dhārayaṃti ca

Translation

欲に駆られて神聖な庭から自らの手で花を摘み、それを何度も嗅いだり頭に飾ったりする者は、本来崇拝に捧げられるべきものに対して執着を持って行動しているのである。

Word by Word

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• देव-आराम-पुष्पाणि: flowers of the divine garden
• देव-आराम-पुष्पाणि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + आराम (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्प (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानाम् आरामः) + तत्पुरुष-समासः (देवारामस्य पुष्पाणि)

• लोभात्: out of greed
• लोभात्: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

• संगृह्य: having collected
• संगृह्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया; धातु: ग्रह् (9P/गृह्णाति) उपसर्ग: सम्

• पाणिना: with the hand
• पाणिना: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• जिघ्रन्ति: they smell
• जिघ्रन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: घ्रा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; धातु: घ्रा (जिघ्रति)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• नराः: men
• नराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• भूयः: again; further
• भूयः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: भूयस् (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक-निबद्ध)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• शिरसा: with/on the head
• शिरसा: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• धारयन्ति: they place/hold
• धारयन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; धातु: धृ (धारयति) णिच्-प्रयोग (causative stem)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma-saṃhitā teaching to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the verse functions as a dharma-śikṣā warning: appropriating temple-grove (devārāma) flowers meant for worship becomes a form of “theft of offering,” generating pāśa (bondage) through lobha and misappropriation of dravya meant for Śiva-pūjā.

Significance: Ethic for pilgrims/temple-goers: do not treat nirmālya/ārāma-puṣpa as personal enjoyment; preserve purity of offerings and cultivate non-possessiveness (aparigraha) as a prerequisite for Śiva’s anugraha.

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Devas

FAQs

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

It warns that offerings meant for the Divine should not be appropriated through greed; devotion (bhakti) is purified when one relinquishes possessiveness and treats sacred items as belonging to Shiva’s worship, not personal enjoyment.

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

In Saguna worship—especially Linga-puja—flowers are consecrated as upacāras (ritual services). Taking them for personal pleasure (smelling/adorning oneself) undermines the spirit of offering and the discipline that supports reverence toward the Linga.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice niyama and aparigraha during puja: collect flowers only as an offering, mentally dedicate them with mantra (e.g., the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), and avoid turning sacred materials into objects of sensory indulgence.