Shloka 33

सामान्यतो नरकगतिवर्णनम्

General Description of the Course of Hell / Naraka-gati

Devanagari script

सूचीमुखे महाक्लेशे नरके पात्यते नरः । पापी पुण्यविहीनश्च ताड्यते यमकिंकरैः

Transliteration

sūcīmukhe mahākleśe narake pātyate naraḥ | pāpī puṇyavihīnaśca tāḍyate yamakiṃkaraiḥ

Translation

ಪಾಪಿ, ಪುಣ್ಯವಿಹೀನನಾದ ಮನುಷ್ಯನು ಮಹಾಕ್ಲೇಶಕರವಾದ ‘ಸೂಚೀಮುಖ’ ನರಕಕ್ಕೆ ಎಸೆಯಲ್ಪಡುತ್ತಾನೆ; ಯಮನ ಕಿಂಕರರು ಅವನನ್ನು ಹೊಡೆದು ದಂಡಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ।

Word by Word

• सूचीमुखे: in (the hell) Sūcīmukha
• सूचीमुखे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूची-मुख (प्रातिपदिक; सूची + मुख)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘सूच्याः मुखे’/नाम-नरकविशेषः (in the hell called Sūcīmukha)

• महाक्लेशे: in great torment
• महाक्लेशे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-क्लेश (प्रातिपदिक; महा + क्लेश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘महान् क्लेशः’ (great torment)

• नरके: in hell
• नरके: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन

• पात्यते: is thrown down
• पात्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पत् (धातु) (णिच् causative: पातयति)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive of causative)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• पापी: sinful
• पापी: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पापिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; विशेषण (sinful)

• पुण्यविहीनः: devoid of merit
• पुण्यविहीनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य-विहीन (प्रातिपदिक; पुण्य + विहीन)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-भावः—‘पुण्येन विहीनः’/‘पुण्यस्य अभाववान्’ (devoid of merit)

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

• ताड्यते: is beaten
• ताड्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ताड् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• यमकिंकरैः: by Yama's attendants
• यमकिंकरैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यम-किंकर (प्रातिपदिक; यम + किंकर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—‘यमस्य किंकरैः’ (by Yama's servants)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Characters & Entities

• Yama

FAQs

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

It emphasizes karmic accountability: when the soul (paśu) remains bound by pāpa and lacks puṇya, it experiences painful consequences, urging ethical living and turning toward Shiva as Pati (the liberating Lord).

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

By highlighting the fruits of sin, the verse implicitly points to the remedial path taught in Shaiva tradition—devotion to Saguna Shiva through Linga-worship, repentance, and disciplined conduct to purify karma and loosen pasha (bondage).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to adopt regular Shiva-upasana—japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namah Shivaya), along with purificatory observances such as Tripundra (bhasma) and sincere vrata-like self-restraint—to reduce pāpa and cultivate inner purification.