Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्याश्वास्य रतिं देवास्सर्वे शिवमुपागताः । सुप्रसाद्य शिवं भक्त्या वचनं चेदमब्रुवन्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityāśvāsya ratiṃ devāssarve śivamupāgatāḥ | suprasādya śivaṃ bhaktyā vacanaṃ cedamabruvan

Translation

Brahmā said: Thus having consoled Rati, all the gods approached Lord Śiva. Having pleased Śiva through devotion, they spoke these words.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: कर्ता (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (वाक्य-समाप्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative/closure)

• आश्वास्य: having consoled
• आश्वास्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-श्वस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/क्त्वा), अव्ययभाव; ‘having consoled’

• रतिम्: Rati
• रतिम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object of आश्वास्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); विशेषण (adjectival) देवाः इति विशेष्ये

• शिवम्: to Śiva
• शिवम्: कर्म (कर्म/Goal as object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• उपागताः: approached / came to
• उपागताः: क्रिया (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-गम् (धातु) → उपागत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) ‘उपागत’; प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन (Plural), पुल्लिङ्ग; कर्तरि प्रयोगे (predicative with देवाः)

• सुप्रसाद्य: having propitiated
• सुप्रसाद्य: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सु-प्र-सा-द्/सद् (धातु) → प्रसादयति (णिच्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/क्त्वा), अव्ययभाव; causative sense: ‘having well-pleased/propitiated’

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object of सुप्रसाद्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: करण (करणम्/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन (Singular), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine)

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object of अब्रुवन्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्म (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); विशेषण (demonstrative) वचनम् इति विशेष्ये

• अब्रुवन्: they said
• अब्रुवन्: क्रिया (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन (Plural), परस्मैपद (Parasmaipada)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Rati
• Shiva
• Devas

FAQs

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

It emphasizes that divine grace (Śiva-prasāda) is approached through bhakti and humility—first calming grief (Rati) and then turning toward Śiva as the supreme refuge and Lord of karma and liberation.

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

The gods ‘approach Śiva’ and ‘please Him by devotion,’ reflecting Saguna worship—propitiation through reverence, praise, and surrender, which in practice aligns with approaching the Śiva-liṅga as the accessible form of Śiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The takeaway is bhakti-based upāsanā: offer prayers and stuti with a pacified mind; in temple or home worship this corresponds to liṅga-pūjā with mantra-japa (e.g., Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and seeking Śiva’s prasāda.