Shloka 25

नरकयातनावर्णनम् / Description of Hell-Torments for Specific Transgressions

Devanagari script

अशेषनरकेष्वेव क्रमंति क्रमशः पुनः । ये गृह्णन्ति परद्रव्यं पद्भ्यां विप्रं स्पृशंति च

Transliteration

aśeṣanarakeṣveva kramaṃti kramaśaḥ punaḥ | ye gṛhṇanti paradravyaṃ padbhyāṃ vipraṃ spṛśaṃti ca

Translation

凡夺取他人财物者，及以脚触碰婆罗门者——此等之人将一再地、一步一步地经历诸般地狱。依湿婆派之见，此类行为因使我执坚硬、轻慢法（dharma）而加重系缚（pāśa），令灵魂转向解脱者湿婆（Pati）之路更为迟缓。

Word by Word

• aśeṣa-narakeṣu: in all (without remainder) hells
• aśeṣa-narakeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + naraka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (descriptive): 'aśeṣāḥ narakāḥ'; पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण-निपात (restrictive/emphatic particle)

• kramaṃti: they proceed/go
• kramaṃti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kram (धातु; क्रमणे)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (plural)

• kramaśaḥ: in sequence, step by step
• kramaśaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kramaśas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): 'in order/step by step'

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): 'again'

• ye: those who
• ye: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• gṛhṇanti: take, seize
• gṛhṇanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √grah (धातु; ग्रहणे)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• para-dravyam: another's property
• para-dravyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + dravya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): 'parasya dravyam' (another's property); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• padbhyām: with (their) feet
• padbhyām: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (also used as m in some contexts), तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), द्विवचन (dual)

• vipram: a Brahmin
• vipram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• spṛśanti: touch
• spṛśanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √spṛś (धातु; स्पर्शने)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating Shiva Purana teachings to the sages at Naimisharanya, as typical for Umāsaṃhitā discourse sections)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It warns that violating dharma through theft and contempt for sacred persons deepens karmic bondage (pāśa), causing repeated suffering and delaying liberation; the implied remedy is ethical restraint and reorientation to Śiva, the freeing Lord (Pati).

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

Linga-worship in the Shiva Purana is inseparable from purity of conduct; devotion to Saguna Śiva bears fruit when supported by non-injury, non-stealing, and reverence—otherwise worship becomes external while bondage remains.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice self-restraint (asteya), make amends through confession and charity, and stabilize the mind with japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—as a vow of inner purification.