Shloka 25

नरकलोकवर्णनम् (Narakaloka-varṇanam) — Description of the Hell-Realms

Devanagari script

रौरवः प्रथमस्तेषां रुवंते यत्र देहिनः । महारौरवपीडाभिर्महांतोऽपि रुदंति च

Transliteration

rauravaḥ prathamasteṣāṃ ruvaṃte yatra dehinaḥ | mahārauravapīḍābhirmahāṃto'pi rudaṃti ca

Translation

அந்நரகங்களில் ரௌரவம் முதலாவது; அங்கு உடலுடையோர் உரக்க அலறி அழுகின்றனர். மகாரௌரவ வேதனைகளால் துன்புறுத்தப்பட்டால் வல்லவர்களும் கூட அழுகின்றனர்.

Word by Word

• रौरवः: Raurava (hell)
• रौरवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम्; नरक-नाम

• प्रथमः: first
• प्रथमः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, एकवचनम्; क्रमवाचक-विशेषणम्

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), बहुवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• रुवन्ते: they cry/roar
• रुवन्ते: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रु (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: अधिकरण (Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; देशवाचक-सम्बन्धबोधक (relative adverb: where)

• देहिनः: embodied beings
• देहिनः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देहिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचनम्

• महारौरवपीडाभिः: by the torments of Mahāraurava
• महारौरवपीडाभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाराैरव + पीडा (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (महारौरवस्य पीडाः); स्त्रीलिङ्गे, तृतीया (Instrumental/3rd), बहुवचनम्

• महान्तः: the great ones
• महान्तः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा, बहुवचनम्

• अपि: even, also
• अपि: सम्बन्ध-निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपातः (particle: also/even)

• रुदन्ति: they weep
• रुदन्ति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: रुद् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), बहुवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपातः (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahākāla

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It underscores karmic retribution: embodied souls bound by pāśa (bondage) experience intense suffering in lower realms, reminding devotees that turning to Pati (Lord Shiva) through dharma and devotion leads away from such misery toward purification and liberation.

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

By contrasting worldly power with helpless suffering, the verse points to seeking refuge in Saguna Shiva—worship of the Shiva-Linga, japa, and vrata—as practical means of karma-shuddhi (purification of deeds) and protection from fearful states of existence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A direct takeaway is repentance and daily Panchakshara japa (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with Shiva-Linga worship; where applicable, wearing Rudrāksha and applying Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) as Shaiva disciplines to cultivate restraint and purify karmic tendencies.