Shloka 38

सामान्यतो नरकगतिवर्णनम्

General Description of the Course of Hell / Naraka-gati

Devanagari script

पृष्ठे चानीय तुण्डाभ्यां विन्यस्त स्कंधयोजिते । तयोर्मध्येन वाकृष्य बाहुपृष्ठेन गाढतः

Transliteration

pṛṣṭhe cānīya tuṇḍābhyāṃ vinyasta skaṃdhayojite | tayormadhyena vākṛṣya bāhupṛṣṭhena gāḍhataḥ

Translation

Levando-o para as suas costas com as suas duas presas, colocando-o firmemente sobre os ombros unidos, puxou-o então para o meio e segurou-o firmemente.

Word by Word

• पृष्ठे: on the back
• पृष्ठे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• आनीय: having brought
• आनीय: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नी (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त; absolutive/gerund)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• तुण्डाभ्याम्: with (their) two beaks/snout(s)
• तुण्डाभ्याम्: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), द्विवचन (Dual)

• विन्यस्त: placed, set down
• विन्यस्त: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नि + अस् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त; past passive participle)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि क्त-प्रत्यय (PPP), विशेषण (qualifier)

• स्कन्धयोजिते: on/at the shoulder-joint (with shoulders fastened)
• स्कन्धयोजिते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्कन्ध + योजित (प्रातिपदिक; युज् + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (Singular); स्कन्धे योजिते इति (locative describing position/state)

• तयोः: of the two
• तयोः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (Pronoun), षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), द्विवचन (Dual)

• मध्येन: through the middle
• मध्येन: करण/मार्ग (Instrument/Path)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• वा: or
• वा: विकल्प (Alternative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पबोधक अव्यय (disjunctive particle: or/indeed)

• आकृष्य: having dragged/pulled
• आकृष्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial participle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + कृष् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त; gerund)
• Form: ल्यबन्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• बाहुपृष्ठेन: with the back of the arm
• बाहुपृष्ठेन: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहुपृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक) = बाहु + पृष्ठ
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• गाढतः: tightly, firmly
• गाढतः: क्रियाविशेषण (Manner adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: गाढ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverbial usage of adjective), प्रकारवाचक (manner adverb)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

The verse depicts forceful restraint and firm holding, which—read through a Shaiva Siddhanta lens—can symbolize how the bound soul (paśu) is powerfully checked by circumstance (pāśa) until it turns toward the Lord (Pati) for true liberation.

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

Though the verse is narrative and physical in imagery, it supports Saguna devotion by showing Shiva Purana’s concrete, story-based teaching style: embodied events become mirrors for inner discipline, culminating in turning the mind toward Shiva as the accessible, worshipful Lord (Saguna) who grants grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhāraṇā (steady holding): restrain distraction and keep the mind held to Shiva through japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—supported by simple Shaiva observances like vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) and Rudrāksha as reminders of steadfastness.