Shloka 28

नरकलोकवर्णनम् (Narakaloka-varṇanam) — Description of the Hell-Realms

Devanagari script

महावक्रश्च कालश्च कालसूत्रः प्रगर्जनः । सूचीमुखस्सुनेतिश्च खादकस्सुप्रपीडनः

Transliteration

mahāvakraśca kālaśca kālasūtraḥ pragarjanaḥ | sūcīmukhassunetiśca khādakassuprapīḍanaḥ

Translation

(ಅವರ ಹೆಸರುಗಳು) ಮಹಾವಕ್ರ, ಕಾಲ, ಕಾಲಸೂತ್ರ, ಪ್ರಗರ್ಜನ, ಸೂಚೀಮುಖ, ಸುನೇತಿ, ಖಾದಕ ಮತ್ತು ಸುಪ್ರಪೀಡನ ಎಂದು ಹೇಳಲ್ಪಟ್ಟಿವೆ.

Word by Word

• महावक्रः: Mahāvakra (the greatly crooked one)
• महावक्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महावक्र (प्रातिपदिक) = महा + वक्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः कर्मधारयः (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः)

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

• कालः: Kāla (Time/Death)
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

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

• कालसूत्रः: Kālasūtra (the 'thread/line of Time')
• कालसूत्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालसूत्र (प्रातिपदिक) = काल + सूत्र
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (कालस्य सूत्रम्)

• प्रगर्जनः: Pragarjana (roaring one)
• प्रगर्जनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रगर्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सूचीमुखः: Sūcīmukha (needle-faced)
• सूचीमुखः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूचीमुख (प्रातिपदिक) = सूची + मुख
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सूच्याः मुखम्/सूचीवत् मुखम्)

• सुनेतिः: Suneti (good-guiding/with good conduct)
• सुनेतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुनेति (प्रातिपदिक) = सु + नेति
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु-विशेषणपूर्वक)

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

• खादकः: Khādaka (devourer)
• खादकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खादक (प्रातिपदिक) < खाद् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्तरि-ण्वुल्/कृदन्त-आधारित प्रातिपदिक (agent noun)

• सुप्रपीडनः: Suprapīḍana (greatly tormenting one)
• सुप्रपीडनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुप्रपीडन (प्रातिपदिक) = सु + प्रपीडन
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (सु-उपसर्गपूर्वक)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Kālabhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Jyotirlinga: Mahākāleśvara

Sthala Purana: By thematic linkage: the epithet Kāla and Kālasūtra evoke Mahākāla—Śiva as Time/Death-transcender; Ujjayinī’s Mahākāla is famed as the lord who subdues Kāla and grants fearlessness.

Significance: Darśana of Mahākāla is sought for relief from fear of death, karmic afflictions, and for steadiness in dharma; here the verse functions as a negative mirror—what Kāla does to the bound soul when grace is absent.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Kālī

Role: destructive

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: Kāla motif (time/death) as the ever-present cosmic pressure on the bound soul

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse lists formidable names associated with Shiva’s fearsome, time-transcending power, reminding the devotee that Kāla (death/time) is ultimately under Pati (Shiva), and that refuge in Shiva frees the pashu (bound soul) from fear and bondage.

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

Such names highlight Saguna Shiva’s protective and dissolving aspects—Shiva as the Lord who governs destruction and time—encouraging Linga worship as a concrete focus for devotion while contemplating Shiva as the master of Kāla.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Meditate on Shiva as Kāla-antaka (conqueror of death) while repeating the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” and support it with traditional Shaiva aids like vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa as reminders of surrender to Pati.