Shloka 10

सामान्यतो नरकगतिवर्णनम्

General Description of the Course of Hell / Naraka-gati

Devanagari script

वृताकवत्प्रपच्यंते तप्तलोहकटाहकैः । विष्ठापूर्णे तथा कूपे कृमीणां निचये पुनः

Transliteration

vṛtākavatprapacyaṃte taptalohakaṭāhakaiḥ | viṣṭhāpūrṇe tathā kūpe kṛmīṇāṃ nicaye punaḥ

Translation

São cozidos como berinjelas em caldeirões de ferro em brasa; e, de novo, são lançados num poço cheio de excremento, fervilhando de massas de vermes.

Word by Word

• वृताकवत्: like a vṛtāka (a kind of creature/being)
• वृताकवत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृताक (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित)
• Form: अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; उपमानवाचक-तद्धितान्त (वत्), indeclinable-like adverbial use (उपमान)

• प्रपच्यन्ते: are boiled/cooked
• प्रपच्यन्ते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; passive/impersonal sense ‘are cooked/boiled’

• तप्त: heated, molten
• तप्त: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप् (धातु) → तप्त (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्गे/पुंलिङ्गे समासाङ्गत्वेन; here as compound-member qualifier

• लोह: iron/metal
• लोह: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग (compound member)

• कटाहकैः: by/with cauldrons (pots)
• कटाहकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कटाहक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन

• तप्तलोहकटाहकैः: by cauldrons of heated iron
• तप्तलोहकटाहकैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तप्त (कृदन्त) + लोह (प्रातिपदिक) + कटाहक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (विशेषण-विशेष्य/निर्धारण), तृतीया (करण), बहुवचन; ‘by cauldrons of heated iron’

• विष्ठा: excrement, filth
• विष्ठा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासाङ्ग

• पूर्णे: in (something) filled
• पूर्णे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; as qualifier in compound context

• विष्ठापूर्णे: in a filth-filled (place)
• विष्ठापूर्णे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक) + पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी/कर्मधारय-भाव: ‘filled with filth’), सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: Sambandha/Avyaya (अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपपद/समुच्चयार्थ-क्रियाविशेषण ‘likewise’

• कूपे: in a pit/well
• कूपे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• कृमीणाम्: of worms
• कृमीणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• निचये: in a heap/mass
• निचये: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निचय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• पुनः: again, further
• पुनः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्ति/पुनरावृत्त्यर्थक क्रियाविशेषण ‘again’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; continues generalized hell imagery (cooking in hot iron, excrement pit with worms).

Significance: Didactic deterrent: evokes disgust and fear to turn the paśu away from pāpa and toward Śiva-dharma; in Siddhānta terms, it encourages karma-śuddhi and seeking Pati’s anugraha.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It underscores the Shaiva Siddhanta principle that pāśa (bondage) tightens through adharma and harmful actions, producing painful karmic results; the imagery of hellish suffering is meant to awaken vairāgya and turn the soul toward Shiva (Pati) for purification and liberation.

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

By contrasting the terror of karmic retribution with the refuge of Shiva, it implicitly urges taking shelter in Saguna Shiva through Linga-worship, devotion, and repentance—approaches taught in the Purana as means to soften and burn away accumulated pāpa.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to adopt Shiva-centered sādhanā—regular japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), Linga-pūjā with sincerity, and purificatory disciplines (such as Tripuṇḍra/bhasma and ethical restraint) to prevent and cleanse karmic bondage.