Shloka 41

काम-शक्र-संवादः / Dialogue of Kāma and Śakra

Indra

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्युक्तस्य तु कामो हि प्रफुल्लमुखपंकज । प्रेम्णोवाचेति देवेशं करिष्यामि न संशयः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityuktasya tu kāmo hi praphullamukhapaṃkaja | premṇovāceti deveśaṃ kariṣyāmi na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Brahmā sprach: So angesprochen, erwiderte Kāma —dessen lotosgleiches Antlitz erblühte— in Liebe zum Herrn der Götter: «O Devesha, ich werde es vollbringen; daran besteht kein Zweifel.»

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative)

• उक्तस्य: of (him) who was spoken to / after being told
• उक्तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √वच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; 'of the one who was addressed/said to'

• तु: but
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ (but/indeed)

• कामः: Kāma (the god of love)
• कामः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), निश्चयार्थ (indeed)

• प्रफुल्लमुखपङ्कज: O one whose lotus-like face is blossoming
• प्रफुल्लमुखपङ्कज: सम्बोधन (Vocative address)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रफुल्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक) + पङ्कज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (मुखं पङ्कजम् इव; प्रफुल्लं मुखपङ्कजं यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; कामस्य सम्बोधन-विशेषणम्

• प्रेम्णा: with love
• प्रेम्णा: करण (Instrumental: with affection)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रेमन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक अव्यय (quotative)

• देवेशम्: the Lord of gods
• देवेशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (देवानाम् ईशः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• करिष्यामि: I will do
• करिष्यामि: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple future), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: कर्ता (Predicate nominal in existential sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'न संशयः' इति नास्त्यर्थे (no doubt)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Kama
• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how even Kāma (desire) operates under divine command; in Shaiva thought, desire becomes binding (pāśa) unless it is aligned with surrender to Pati (Shiva), the Lord who governs all powers.

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

Calling Shiva “Deveśa” points to Saguna Shiva as the personal Lord who directs cosmic functions; worship of the Linga trains the mind to place all impulses—especially desire—at Shiva’s feet rather than letting them rule the practitioner.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to restrain and offer desire into japa of the Panchakshara—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and steady the mind with Shiva-bhakti; this transforms kama into devotion rather than bondage.