Shloka 2

नरकलोकमार्गयमदूतस्वरूपवर्णनम् / Description of the Path to Naraka and the Nature of Yama’s Messengers

Devanagari script

गर्भस्थैर्जायमानैश्च बालैस्तरुणमध्यमैः । स्त्रीपुन्नपुंसकैर्जीवैर्ज्ञातव्यं सर्वजंतुषु

Transliteration

garbhasthairjāyamānaiśca bālaistaruṇamadhyamaiḥ | strīpunnapuṃsakairjīvairjñātavyaṃ sarvajaṃtuṣu

Translation

あらゆる生きとし生けるものにおいて、ジーヴァ（jīva、個我）は、胎内にあるときも、出生のときも、幼年・青年・壮年においても、あらゆる状態に遍く存すると知るべきである。またそれは、女・男・中性として現れる身体に宿る。

Word by Word

• गर्भस्थैः: by those in the womb
• गर्भस्थैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गर्भ + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष: गर्भे स्थाः (those in the womb)

• जायमानैः: by those being born
• जायमानैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: Present participle (शतृ), Passive sense (कर्मणि), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifying जीवैः

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

• बालैः: by children
• बालैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• तरुणमध्यमैः: by the young and the middle-aged
• तरुणमध्यमैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तरुण + मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व: तरुणैः च मध्यमैः च (young and middle-aged)

• स्त्रीपुंनपुंसकैः: by female, male, and neuter (beings)
• स्त्रीपुंनपुंसकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्त्री + पुं + नपुंसक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); द्वन्द्व: स्त्री च पुं च नपुंसकं च

• जीवैः: by living beings
• जीवैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ज्ञातव्यं: should be known
• ज्ञातव्यं: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: Gerundive/obligatory participle (तव्यत्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); impersonal: 'it should be known'

• सर्वजन्तुषु: in all creatures
• सर्वजन्तुषु: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष sense: सर्वेषु जन्तुषु

Speaker

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

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Supports viveka (discrimination) between changing bodies and the enduring jīva—preparatory to Śiva-jñāna and release from pāśa.

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Saṃsāric embodiment across life-stages and gendered bodies (deha-bheda) while the jīva persists

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that the jīva is present through all embodied conditions—womb to adulthood and across gendered forms—supporting the Shaiva Siddhanta insight that bodily differences are transient, while the bound soul persists until released by Pati (Shiva).

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

By pointing beyond changing bodily identities, it directs the devotee toward Shiva as Pati—the stable Lord who grants grace—worshipped as the Linga (a universal form) that transcends distinctions of age and gender in embodied life.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to cultivate equal vision (sama-darśana) while doing japa of the Panchākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and to contemplate the jīva’s continuity amid bodily change, strengthening vairāgya and devotion to Shiva’s liberating grace.