Shloka 31

Devanagari script

बद्धाश्शृंखलया केचिदुत्ता नपादका नराः । कृष्यंते कृष्यमाणाश्च यमदूतैर्बलोत्कटैः

Transliteration

baddhāśśṛṃkhalayā keciduttā napādakā narāḥ | kṛṣyaṃte kṛṣyamāṇāśca yamadūtairbalotkaṭaiḥ

Translation

ある者たちは鎖で固く縛られ、引きずられてゆく—地に伏せられ、足は上へと返され—ヤマの使者たる力強く荒々しい者どもが、情け容赦なく彼らを引き立てていく。

Word by Word

• baddhāḥ: bound
• baddhāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √bandh (बन्ध्) (धातु) → baddha (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies narāḥ

• śṛṅkhalayā: with a chain
• śṛṅkhalayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śṛṅkhalā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kecit: some (people)
• kecit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim + cit (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); indefinite pronoun

• uttāna-pādakāḥ: with feet stretched out (supine)
• uttāna-pādakāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttāna + pādaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारयः—‘uttānāḥ pādāḥ yeṣām/uttāna-pādakāḥ’ (with feet stretched out / supine-footed)

• narāḥ: men / people
• narāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kṛṣyante: are dragged
• kṛṣyante: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛṣ (कृष्) (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Passive (कर्मणि), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• kṛṣyamāṇāḥ: being dragged
• kṛṣyamāṇāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √kṛṣ (कृष्) (धातु) → kṛṣyamāṇa (कृदन्त)
• Form: Present passive participle (शानच्, कर्मणि), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन); qualifies narāḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय)

• yama-dūtaiḥ: by Yama’s messengers
• yama-dūtaiḥ: Karana (करण) / Agent in passive (कर्तृ-करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama + dūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुषः—‘yamasya dūtāḥ’

• bala-utkaṭaiḥ: very powerful
• bala-utkaṭaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bala + utkaṭa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारयः—‘balena utkaṭāḥ’ (exceedingly strong)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: post-mortem yama-yātrā (karmic transit to naraka)

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Yamadutas

FAQs

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

It vividly portrays pasha (bondage) created by one’s own karma: when dharma is violated, the soul experiences compelled movement toward suffering, highlighting the Shaiva Siddhanta call to turn from bondage to Pati (Shiva) through purification and devotion.

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

By contrasting helpless karmic compulsion with Shiva’s saving grace, the verse implicitly supports seeking refuge in Saguna Shiva—worship of the Linga as a tangible focus for surrender, repentance, and inner reform that loosens the bonds of pasha.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is karmic correction through Shaiva practice—daily remembrance of Shiva (japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), coupled with ethical restraint; specific items like rudraksha or bhasma are not stated in this verse but align with the text’s broader remedial Shaiva discipline.