Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 9
कामप्रभावः (कामा॑स्य प्रभाववर्णनम्) — The Power of Kāma and the (Ineffective) Attempt to Delude Śiva
शृणु ब्रह्मन्यथाऽस्माभिः कृतां हि हरमोहने । प्रयासा विविधास्तात गदतस्तान्मुने मम
śṛṇu brahmanyathā'smābhiḥ kṛtāṃ hi haramohane | prayāsā vividhāstāta gadatastānmune mama
يا براهمن، اسمع ما قمنا به لإيقاع هَرا (الربّ شيفا) في الحيرة (اختبارًا له). يا عزيزَ القلب، أيها الحكيم—اسمع مني وأنا أسرد لك ما بذلناه من مساعٍ كثيرة ومتنوّعة.
Brahma
Tattva Level: pashu
Shiva Form: Dakṣiṇāmūrti
Sthala Purana: Introductory narrative cue: Kāma invites Brahmā to hear the detailed account of attempts to delude Hara—setting up a teaching-by-failure that magnifies Śiva’s transcendence.
Significance: Functions as śravaṇa (hearing) prompt: listening to Śiva’s greatness is itself meritorious; encourages kathā-śravaṇa as a bhakti practice.
Role: teaching
FAQs
It highlights Śiva as the steady Pati (Lord) who is not truly overcome by moha; the verse frames a narration showing that worldly powers and stratagems cannot shake the Supreme’s inner freedom, guiding devotees toward steadiness and surrender.
By presenting Hara (Saguna Śiva) as the divine focus of the narrative, it supports devotional contemplation of Śiva’s manifest form—worship of the Liṅga/Saguna Śiva trains the mind to move beyond delusion and remain anchored in the Lord.
The practical takeaway is śravaṇa (listening) and smaraṇa (recollection) of Śiva’s līlā; paired with japa of the Pañcākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” it cultivates steadiness against moha.