Shloka 53

नरकयातनावर्णनम् / Description of Hell-Torments for Specific Transgressions

Devanagari script

यः करोति महापापं धर्म्मं चरति वै लघु । धर्म्मं गुरुतरं वापि तथावस्थे तयोः शृणु

Transliteration

yaḥ karoti mahāpāpaṃ dharmmaṃ carati vai laghu | dharmmaṃ gurutaraṃ vāpi tathāvasthe tayoḥ śṛṇu

Translation

若有人造作大罪，却只修少分正法；或又行更为重大的善行——在此等境况中，请听这两者将得何等果报。

Word by Word

• यः: who (he who)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-यः (relative pronoun)

• करोति: does, commits
• करोति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• महापापम्: a great sin
• महापापम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापाप (प्रातिपदिक; महा+पाप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• धर्मम्: dharma, righteous duty
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• चरति: practises, follows
• चरति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• वै: indeed, surely
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphatic)

• लघु: slight, trivial (in a small measure)
• लघु: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लघु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘धर्मम्’)

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• गुरुतरम्: greater, more weighty
• गुरुतरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुरुतर (प्रातिपदिक; गुरु+तर)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; तुलनात्मक (comparative); विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘धर्मम्’)

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-निपात (disjunctive particle)

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

• तथा-अवस्थे: in such a situation/condition
• तथा-अवस्थे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-Condition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तथा (अव्यय) + अवस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; ‘तथा’ इति अव्ययपूर्वपद; अवस्था-शब्दः स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• तयोः: of the two (of those two)
• तयोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विवचनार्थे षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (dual)

• शृणु: hear, listen
• शृणु: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यमपुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Īśāna

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

It introduces the Shaiva ethical principle that karma is assessed by the real weight of one’s actions—serious wrongdoing and genuine dharma both bear results—preparing the listener for a teaching on how merit and demerit are reconciled through right conduct and Shiva-oriented purification.

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

In the Uma Saṁhitā’s devotional-philosophical frame, turning toward Saguna Shiva (Linga worship with faith) becomes the practical means by which a sinner reforms: dharma is strengthened through devotion, restraint, and surrender to Shiva as Pati who loosens pāśa (bondage).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is to increase dharma through Shiva-centered practice—regular japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), disciplined vrata, and purificatory observances such as Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa with sincere repentance.