Shloka 21

शिवमायाप्रभाववर्णनम्

Description of the Power/Effects of Śiva’s Māyā

Devanagari script

चण्डरश्मिस्तु मार्तण्डो मोहितश्शिवमायया । कामाकुलो बभूवाशु दृष्ट्वाश्वीं हयरूपधृक्

Transliteration

caṇḍaraśmistu mārtaṇḍo mohitaśśivamāyayā | kāmākulo babhūvāśu dṛṣṭvāśvīṃ hayarūpadhṛk

Translation

Mārtaṇḍa (die Sonne) mit ihren wilden Strahlen wurde ebenfalls durch Śivas Māyā betört. Als er die Stute erblickte, geriet er sogleich in Begierde und nahm die Gestalt eines Hengstes an.

Word by Word

• चण्ड-रश्मिः: the fierce-rayed one
• चण्ड-रश्मिः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्ड-रश्मि (प्रातिपदिक; चण्ड + रश्मि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (चण्डः रश्मिः यस्य/चण्डरश्मिः)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• मार्तण्डः: the Sun (Mārtaṇḍa)
• मार्तण्डः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्तण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मोहितः: deluded
• मोहितः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुह् (धातु) → मोहित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• शिवमायया: by Śiva’s māyā
• शिवमायया: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• कामाकुलः: agitated by desire
• कामाकुलः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम-आकुल (प्रातिपदिक; काम + आकुल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (कामेन आकुलः)

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: सम्बन्ध (Manner/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (कृदन्त, क्त्वा)
• Form: अव्यय-कृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), क्त्वा-प्रत्यय; ‘having seen’

• अश्वीम्: a mare
• अश्वीम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• हय-रूप-धृक्: one who assumed a horse-form
• हय-रूप-धृक्: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय-रूप-धृक् (प्रातिपदिक; हय + रूप + धृक्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (हयरूपं धारयति इति)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Ishana

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Martanda (Surya)

FAQs

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

It illustrates Śiva as Pati (the Lord) whose māyā can veil even powerful devas, showing how kāma becomes a binding pasha (fetters) that pulls the jīva toward lower, instinct-driven states unless guided by Śiva-jñāna and grace.

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

By portraying Śiva’s sovereign control over māyā and desire, the verse supports Saguna worship (Linga/Śiva) as a practical refuge: devotion and surrender to Śiva help the devotee transcend kāma and regain inner steadiness (śama) and purity (śuddhi).

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A key takeaway is to counter desire with Śiva-upāsanā: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) with bhasma/Tripuṇḍra and disciplined sense-restraint, cultivating vairāgya and remembrance of Śiva as the controller of māyā.