Shloka 4

कामप्रहारः — The Subduing of Kāma (Desire) / Kāma’s Assault and Its Futility

Devanagari script

शिव उवाच । किमु विघ्नाः समुत्पन्नाः कुर्वतस्तप उत्तमम् । केन मे विकृतं चित्तं कृतमत्र कुकर्मिणा

Transliteration

śiva uvāca | kimu vighnāḥ samutpannāḥ kurvatastapa uttamam | kena me vikṛtaṃ cittaṃ kṛtamatra kukarmiṇā

Translation

Śiva sprach: „Warum sind Hindernisse (Vighna) entstanden, während ich diese höchste Askese (Tapas) vollbringe? Durch wen—durch welchen Übeltäter hier—wurde mein Geist verdreht und in Unruhe versetzt?“

Word by Word

• शिवः: Shiva
• शिवः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular

• उवाच: said/spoke
• उवाच: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; Parasmaipada

• किम्: what?
• किम्: प्रश्न (Interrogative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative pronoun used adverbially with ‘उ’

• उ: indeed/then (emphatic)
• उ: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उ (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), प्रश्न/उत्कर्षार्थक

• विघ्नाः: obstacles
• विघ्नाः: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Nominative plural

• समुत्पन्नाः: arisen/occurred
• समुत्पन्नाः: विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + उत् + पद् (धातु) → समुत्पन्न (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; agreeing with ‘विघ्नाः’

• कुर्वतः: while (I am) doing/performing
• कुर्वतः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation to ‘तपः’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कुर्वत् (कृदन्त/शतृ)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present participle), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी/सप्तमी, एकवचन; here genitive singular ‘of me doing’

• तपः: austerity/penance
• तपः: कर्म (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular

• उत्तमम्: excellent/supreme
• उत्तमम्: विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; agreeing with ‘तपः’

• केन: by whom?/by what?
• केन: करण (करण/Instrument; agent-question)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; Instrumental singular (interrogative)

• मे: my/of me
• मे: सम्बन्ध (Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; enclitic genitive ‘of me/my’

• विकृतम्: disturbed/altered
• विकृतम्: विशेषण (Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + कृ (धातु) → विकृत (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; agreeing with ‘चित्तम्’

• चित्तम्: mind
• चित्तम्: कर्म (कर्म/Direct object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here as object

• कृतम्: made (so)
• कृतम्: क्रिया (Predicate of passive sense)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु) → कृत (कृदन्त/क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively; ‘made/done’

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: देशाधिकरण (Locative adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• कुकर्मिणा: by an evil-doer
• कुकर्मिणा: कर्ता (कर्तृ/Agent in passive; तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कु + कर्मिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Instrumental singular (agent in passive)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Rudra

Characters & Entities

• Shiva

FAQs

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

The verse highlights that even during lofty tapas, vighnas (inner and outer impediments) can arise; in a Shaiva Siddhanta reading, this points to the need for citta-śuddhi (purification of mind) and unwavering orientation to Pati (Śiva) so the sādhaka is not shaken by disturbance.

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

Obstacles and mental agitation are classic disruptions of upāsanā; Linga-worship and Saguna Śiva-bhakti stabilize attention by giving the mind a sacred support (ālambana), turning restlessness into focused devotion and disciplined contemplation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is to guard tapas with steady japa—especially the Panchākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya)—and disciplined meditation to keep the citta from vikāra (distortion); if practiced ritually, maintain purity of vow, regular worship, and protective recitation before sādhanā.