Shloka 7

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

Devanagari script

राज्यभोगेन मोहेन बलादन्यायतः प्रजाः । यद्दण्डिताः फलं तस्य भुज्यतामधुना नृपाः

Transliteration

rājyabhogena mohena balādanyāyataḥ prajāḥ | yaddaṇḍitāḥ phalaṃ tasya bhujyatāmadhunā nṛpāḥ

Translation

Hỡi các bậc quân vương, nay quả báo của việc ấy phải được nếm trải: vì mê lầm bởi hưởng thụ vương quyền, các ngài đã dùng sức mạnh mà trừng phạt thần dân một cách bất công.

Word by Word

• rājya-bhogena: by enjoyment of kingship
• rājya-bhogena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājya (राज्य) + bhoga (भोग) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘rājyasya bhogaḥ’

• mohena: by delusion
• mohena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: moha (मोह प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• balāt: forcibly
• balāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (बल प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; adverbial ablative: ‘by force/forcibly’

• anyāyataḥ: unjustly
• anyāyataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anyāya (अन्याय प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb (तसिल्-प्रत्यय: -तः), ‘unjustly’

• prajāḥ: subjects/people
• prajāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prajā (प्रजा प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural

• yat: which/that (act)
• yat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (यद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter, Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular; correlates with tasya

• daṇḍitāḥ: were punished
• daṇḍitāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: daṇḍ (दण्ड् धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; ‘punished’ (agreeing with implied ‘te’/‘prajāḥ’ by sense)

• phalam: fruit/result
• phalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (फल प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tasya: of that (deed)/its
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• bhujyatām: let (it) be undergone/enjoyed
• bhujyatām: Vidhi-kriyā (विधिक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhuj (भुज् धातु)
• Form: Imperative (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; Ātmanepada passive-style usage: ‘let it be experienced/enjoyed’

• adhunā: now
• adhunā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: adhunā (अधुना अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of time (कालवाचक)

• nṛpāḥ: O kings
• nṛpāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (नृप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Plural

Speaker

Lord Shiva (as the inner governor of dharma, instructing on karmic justice in the Umāsaṃhitā discourse)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

FAQs

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

It teaches that abuse of power born from moha (delusion) produces unavoidable karmic fruit; in Shaiva Siddhanta terms, pasha (bondage) tightens through adharma, and the soul must undergo its results until purified and reoriented to dharma under Pati (Shiva).

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

Linga-worship centers the ruler and devotee in Shiva as the supreme witness and upholder of dharma; remembering Saguna Shiva restrains arrogance and redirects authority into protection of praja, aligning action with Shiva’s order rather than personal enjoyment.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is daily self-audit with japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) to dissolve moha, coupled with humble dharmic vows (ahimsa, fairness) so that power is exercised as service rather than domination.