Shloka 13

नरकयातनावर्णनम् / Description of Hell-Torments for Specific Transgressions

Devanagari script

तेषां क्षारादिभिस्सर्वैश्शरीरमनुलिप्यते । यातनाश्च महाकष्टास्सर्वेषु नरकेषु च

Transliteration

teṣāṃ kṣārādibhissarvaiśśarīramanulipyate | yātanāśca mahākaṣṭāssarveṣu narakeṣu ca

Translation

അവരുടെ ശരീരങ്ങൾ ക്ഷാരം മുതലായ ദഹനകാരക വസ്തുക്കളാൽ എല്ലാടവും പുരട്ടപ്പെടുന്നു; എല്ലാ നരകങ്ങളിലും അവർ അത്യന്തം ഭീകരമായ യാതനകൾ അനുഭവിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• क्षार-आदिभिः: with alkali and the like
• क्षार-आदिभिः: करण (करणकारक/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षार (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पञ्चमी-तत्पुरुष (आदि-समास; ‘alkali etc.’), तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• सर्वैः: with all (of them)
• सर्वैः: विशेषण (Adjectival to Instrument)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषण (adjective) to क्षारादिभिः

• शरीरम्: the body
• शरीरम्: कर्म (कर्मकारक/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अनुलिप्यते: is smeared/coated
• अनुलिप्यते: क्रिया (Verb; passive—body as कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-लिप् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive voice)

• यातनाः: tortures
• यातनाः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यातना (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• महाकष्टाः: very grievous
• महाकष्टाः: विशेषण (Adjectival to Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + कष्ट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘very painful’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन (Plural); विशेषण to यातनाः

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: अधिकरण (Locative adjunct)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine/Generic); विशेषण to नरकेषु

• नरकेषु: in hells
• नरकेषु: अधिकरण (अधिकरणकारक/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine), सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन (Plural)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Shiva Purana discourse to the sages at Naimisharanya, describing karmic consequences and naraka-yatanas)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Kālāntaka

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It underscores the Shaiva teaching that karmic bondage (pāśa) has tangible consequences: harmful actions ripen into suffering states, urging the soul (paśu) toward dharma, repentance, and Shiva-oriented liberation.

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

By contrasting the pain of karmic retribution with the refuge of Shiva, it indirectly motivates devotion to Saguna Shiva (Linga worship) as a purifying path—turning the mind from adharma toward Shiva’s grace and right conduct.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is ethical restraint and purification: regular japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), sincere confession/atonement, and disciplined worship (puja) to reduce sinful tendencies that lead to such sufferings.