Shloka 17

सामान्यतो नरकगतिवर्णनम्

General Description of the Course of Hell / Naraka-gati

Devanagari script

नरकेषु च सर्वेषु विचित्रा यमयातना । याम्यैश्च दीयते व्यास सर्वांगेषु सुकष्टदा

Transliteration

narakeṣu ca sarveṣu vicitrā yamayātanā | yāmyaiśca dīyate vyāsa sarvāṃgeṣu sukaṣṭadā

Translation

ஓ வியாசரே! எல்லா நரகங்களிலும் யமனின் பலவகைத் தண்டனைகள் யமதூதர்களால் விதிக்கப்படுகின்றன; அவை உடலின் ஒவ்வோர் அங்கத்திற்கும் கடுந்துயரை அளிக்கின்றன.

Word by Word

• narakeṣu: in the hells
• narakeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• sarveṣu: in all
• sarveṣu: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); agrees with narakeṣu

• vicitrā: varied/wondrous
• vicitrā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vicitra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with yamayātanā

• yama-yātanā: Yama’s torment/punishment
• yama-yātanā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yama (प्रातिपदिक) + yātanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘yamasya yātanā’

• yāmyaiḥ: by Yama’s attendants
• yāmyaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yāmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• dīyate: is inflicted/given
• dīyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्, Present), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); passive sense (कर्मणि प्रयोग)

• vyāsa: O Vyāsa
• vyāsa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• sarva-aṅgeṣu: in all the limbs
• sarva-aṅgeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन); कर्मधारय: ‘sarvāṇi aṅgāni’ → ‘sarvāṅga’

• su-kaṣṭa-dā: causing severe pain
• su-kaṣṭa-dā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + kaṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) + dā (दा धातु; कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); कृतान्त (दā-प्रत्ययान्त) ‘-dā’ = ‘giver’; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयभाव: ‘sukaṣṭaṃ dadāti’

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Purāṇic discourse, addressing Vyāsa within the cited narrative frame)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Yama
• Vyasa

FAQs

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

It underscores karmic causality: when the bound soul (paśu) remains tied by pāśa (sin, ignorance, and attachment), it experiences the fruits of actions as suffering; Shaiva teaching urges turning to Shiva (Pati) and dharma to transcend bondage.

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

By highlighting the consequences of adharma, the verse indirectly motivates refuge in Saguna Shiva through Linga-worship, repentance, and devotion—practices praised in the Shiva Purana as purifying karma and orienting the soul toward Shiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily Shiva-smaraṇa with the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya"), along with simple Linga-pūjā (water/leaf offering) and living by dharma to reduce pāśa and avoid painful karmic results.