Shloka 4

काम-शक्र-संवादः / Dialogue of Kāma and Śakra

Indra

Devanagari script

काम उवाच । किं कार्य्यं ते समुत्पन्नं स्मृतोऽहं केन हेतुना । तत्त्वं कथय देवेश तत्कर्तुं समुपागतः

Transliteration

kāma uvāca | kiṃ kāryyaṃ te samutpannaṃ smṛto'haṃ kena hetunā | tattvaṃ kathaya deveśa tatkartuṃ samupāgataḥ

Translation

Kāma sprach: „Welche Aufgabe ist dir erwachsen? Aus welchem Grund hast du meiner gedacht (mich gerufen)? O Herr der Götter, sage mir die Wahrheit; ich bin gekommen, um dies zu vollbringen.“

Word by Word

• कामः: Kāma
• कामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• कार्यम्: task, business
• कार्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ते: of you, your
• ते: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; 'your'

• समुत्पन्नम्: arisen, occurred
• समुत्पन्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उत्-पद् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कार्यम्)

• स्मृतः: (I am) remembered
• स्मृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'remembered/called to mind'

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• केन: by what?
• केन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• हेतुना: by what reason/cause
• हेतुना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्त्वम्: the truth, the real matter
• तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कथय: tell
• कथय: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कथ् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), परस्मैपद, मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन

• देवेश: O Lord of the gods
• देवेश: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवानाम् ईशः); पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तत्-कर्तुम्: to do that
• तत्-कर्तुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + कृ (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (infinitive), 'to do that'

• समुपागतः: arrived, come
• समुपागतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-उप-आ-गम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying अहम्)

Speaker

Kama (Kamadeva)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Kama
• Devesha (Lord of the gods)

FAQs

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

The verse frames kāma (desire) as an instrument that moves only when invoked by a higher will, implying that in Shaiva understanding desire is subordinate to the Lord’s governance and must ultimately be directed toward dharma and liberation.

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

By addressing the deity as “Deveśa,” the narrative emphasizes Saguna Shiva as the sovereign who commands even cosmic forces like Kāma; Linga-worship similarly trains the devotee to offer and regulate impulses (including desire) at Shiva’s feet.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to purify intention before action—traditionally done through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and cultivating vairāgya (dispassion) so that desire serves devotion rather than bondage.