Shloka 8

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

Devanagari script

इति श्रीशिवमहापुराणे पञ्चम्यामुमासंहितायां नरकलोकवर्णनं नामाष्टमोऽध्यायः

Transliteration

iti śrīśivamahāpurāṇe pañcamyāmumāsaṃhitāyāṃ narakalokavarṇanaṃ nāmāṣṭamo'dhyāyaḥ

Translation

ಇಂತೆ ಶ್ರೀಶಿವಮಹಾಪುರಾಣದ ಪಂಚಮ ಉಮಾಸಂಹಿತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ “ನರಕಲೋಕವರ್ಣನ” ಎಂಬ ಎಂಟನೇ ಅಧ್ಯಾಯವು ಸಮಾಪ್ತವಾಯಿತು।

Word by Word

• iti: thus/end of
• iti: Vākya-parisamāpti (वाक्यपरिसमाप्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, quotative/end-marker particle (इति-निपात)

• śrī-śiva-mahā-purāṇe: in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa
• śrī-śiva-mahā-purāṇe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī (श्री) + śiva (शिव) + mahā (महा) + purāṇa (पुराण) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; tatpuruṣa title-compound: ‘in the Śrī Śiva Mahāpurāṇa’

• pañcamyām: in the fifth (book)
• pañcamyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pañcamī (पञ्चमी प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in the fifth (book)’

• umā-saṃhitāyām: in the Umā-saṃhitā
• umā-saṃhitāyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: umā (उमा) + saṃhitā (संहिता) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘Umā-saṃhitā’

• naraka-loka-varṇanam: (the section) ‘Description of the Hell-world’
• naraka-loka-varṇanam: Viṣaya/Viśeṣya (विषय/प्रथमा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (नरक) + loka (लोक) + varṇana (वर्णन) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; title-compound: ‘description of the hell-world’

• nāma: named
• nāma: Saṃjñā-sūcaka (संज्ञासूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāman (नामन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya used as title-marker (नाम-शब्दः अव्ययीभूतः)

• aṣṭamaḥ: eighth
• aṣṭamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭama (अष्टम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ordinal adjective qualifying adhyāyaḥ

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta/Viṣaya (कर्ता/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (अध्याय प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Suta Goswami (traditional Purāṇic colophon/narration to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

This is a concluding colophon marking the completion of a chapter on Naraka-loka; it frames the teaching that karmic bondage (pāśa) leads to suffering, while turning to Pati (Śiva) through dharma and devotion leads toward liberation.

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

Though the line is a chapter-ending marker, the Uma Saṃhitā context emphasizes that devotion to Saguna Śiva (including Liṅga-worship) and ethical living purify karma and protect the seeker from lower destinies described in Naraka narratives.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

As a takeaway from Naraka-loka teachings: practice daily Śiva-smaraṇa with the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”), along with purity disciplines such as bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa, to restrain harmful actions and cultivate liberation-oriented conduct.