Shloka 47

नरकयातनावर्णनम् / Description of Hell-Torments for Specific Transgressions

Devanagari script

क्षुधार्तमतिथिं सम्यगेकग्रामनिवासिनम् । भोजयेत्तं शुभान्नेन यथाशक्त्यात्मभोजनात्

Transliteration

kṣudhārtamatithiṃ samyagekagrāmanivāsinam | bhojayettaṃ śubhānnena yathāśaktyātmabhojanāt

Translation

ਭੁੱਖ ਨਾਲ ਪੀੜਤ ਅਤਿਥੀ—ਖ਼ਾਸ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਸੇ ਪਿੰਡ ਦਾ ਮਾਣਯੋਗ ਵਸਨੀਕ—ਆਵੇ ਤਾਂ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਸ਼ੁਭ ਸਾਤਵਿਕ ਅੰਨ ਨਾਲ, ਯਥਾਸਮਰੱਥ, ਆਪਣੇ ਭੋਜਨ ਦੇ ਹਿੱਸੇ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਵੀ ਖੁਆ ਕੇ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤ ਕਰੇ।

Word by Word

• क्षुधा-आर्तम्: distressed by hunger
• क्षुधा-आर्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुधा (प्रातिपदिक) + आर्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (क्षुधया आर्तः = distressed by hunger)

• अतिथिम्: guest
• अतिथिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अतिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सम्यक्: properly
• सम्यक्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सम्यक् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: properly)

• एक-ग्राम-निवासिनम्: a resident of the same village
• एक-ग्राम-निवासिनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + ग्राम (प्रातिपदिक) + निवासिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (एकस्मिन् ग्रामे निवसति इति)

• भोजयेत्: should feed
• भोजयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भुज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/should), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: cause to eat/feed)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शुभ-अन्नेन: with good food
• शुभ-अन्नेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (शुभं च तत् अन्नं च)

• यथा-शक्त्या: according to ability
• यथा-शक्त्या: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; क्रियाविशेषण (according to one’s ability); रूपतः स्त्रीलिङ्ग-तृतीया-एकवचन (शक्त्या)

• आत्म-भोजनात्: from one’s own food (share)
• आत्म-भोजनात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source-Comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + भोजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (आत्मनः भोजनम् = one’s own meal)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya, as typical of the Purana’s discourse style)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga story; it teaches atithi-sevā as dharma that supports Śiva’s grace—seeing the guest as a carrier of merit and as a test of the householder’s purity.

Significance: Hospitality as Śiva-bhakti in action: feeding the hungry guest accrues puṇya and purifies the paśu’s mala through compassionate conduct.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Annapūrṇā

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: naivedya

FAQs

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

It teaches that compassionate service—especially feeding the hungry guest—is a dharmic act that purifies the heart (antaḥkaraṇa) and loosens the bonds of pāśa (karmic limitation), aligning the devotee with Shiva’s grace (anugraha).

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

In Shaiva practice, external worship (liṅga-pūjā) is fulfilled by inner worship expressed as mercy and generosity; feeding a hungry guest becomes a living offering (naivedya in action) to Saguna Shiva present in beings.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice atithi-seva as a vrata: before or after liṅga-pūjā (and especially on Mahāśivarātri), offer food to the hungry according to capacity, while mentally dedicating the act to Shiva and repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra.