Shloka 24

नरकयातनावर्णनम् / Description of Hell-Torments for Specific Transgressions

Devanagari script

ततः क्षारेण दीप्तेन पूर्यते हि समं ततः । यातनाश्च महत्यो वै शरीरस्याति सर्वतः

Transliteration

tataḥ kṣāreṇa dīptena pūryate hi samaṃ tataḥ | yātanāśca mahatyo vai śarīrasyāti sarvataḥ

Translation

その後、燃えさかるアルカリによって一様に満たされる。するとその瞬間より、全身のあらゆる方角にわたり、まことに激しい責め苦が起こる。

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then/thereupon
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), अव्यय-प्रकारः: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• kṣāreṇa: with alkali/caustic substance
• kṣāreṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (m/n; commonly m), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन (singular)

• dīptena: burning, blazing
• dīptena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dīpta (कृदन्त; √dīp दीप्तौ)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; कṣāreṇa इति विशेषणम्

• pūryate: is filled
• pūryate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pṝ (धातु; पूरणे)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• hi: indeed/for
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle)

• samam: equally, uniformly
• samam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत् क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial use), अव्ययार्थे (in the sense of 'equally')

• tataḥ: then/thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• yātanāḥ: tortures, torments
• yātanāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yātanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), बहुवचन (plural)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• mahatyaḥ: great, severe
• mahatyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; yātanāḥ इति विशेषणम्

• vai: indeed, surely
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (emphatic particle)

• śarīrasya: of the body
• śarīrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śarīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (singular)

• ati: excessively, very
• ati: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ati (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उपसर्ग/निपात (preverb/particle) अर्थः: अत्यर्थे (excessively/very)

• sarvataḥ: on all sides, everywhere
• sarvataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, दिशावाचक/परिमाणवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): 'from all sides'

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Uma-samhita account to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse underscores karmic retribution: when the soul remains bound by pāśa (impurities and deeds), suffering manifests as all-pervading torment. In Shaiva Siddhanta, this serves as a warning that only turning toward Pati (Lord Shiva) through right conduct, devotion, and grace leads beyond such bondage.

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

By contrasting the horror of bondage with the refuge of Shiva, it implicitly directs the devotee toward Saguna Shiva worship—especially Linga-upāsanā—as a stabilizing, purifying practice that reorients the mind to Shiva’s grace and the pursuit of liberation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to adopt Shiva-centered purification: japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), along with disciplined conduct and regular Shiva worship; such sādhana is traditionally paired with Bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and Rudrāksha as supports for remembrance and restraint.