Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

कामः स्थितोऽन्तरिक्षे स धृत्वा तत्सशरं धनुः । चिक्षेपास्त्रं दुर्निवारममोघं शंकरे मुने

Transliteration

kāmaḥ sthito'ntarikṣe sa dhṛtvā tatsaśaraṃ dhanuḥ | cikṣepāstraṃ durnivāramamoghaṃ śaṃkare mune

Translation

O sage, Kāma—stationed in the sky—took up his bow with its arrow and hurled his weapon, hard to ward off and unfailing, toward Śaṅkara, Lord Śiva.

Word by Word

• कामः: Kāma
• कामः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• स्थितः: stood, remained
• स्थितः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle); पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; ‘having stood/being positioned’

• अन्तरिक्षे: in the sky
• अन्तरिक्षे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्तरिक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सर्वनाम-रूपम्

• धृत्वा: having taken up
• धृत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Absolutive/Gerund); ‘having held/taken up’

• तत्-सशरम्: that (bow) with arrows
• तत्-सशरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् + सशर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; कर्मधारयः—‘तत् एव सशरम्’ (that very, with arrows)

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः (Accusative), एकवचनम्

• चिक्षेप: he hurled
• चिक्षेप: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: क्षिप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्/परस्मैपदम् (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम्

• अस्त्रम्: weapon, missile
• अस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• दुर्निवारम्: irresistible
• दुर्निवारम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + निवार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः—‘दुर्निवार्यः’ (hard to ward off)

• अमोघम्: unfailing
• अमोघम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + मोघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; नञ्-समासान्त-विशेषणम्

• शंकरे: at/against Śaṅkara
• शंकरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंकर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), एकवचनम्

• मुने: O sage
• मुने: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सम्बोधन-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kama

FAQs

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

It dramatizes how desire (kāma), though powerful and “unfailing” in worldly beings, is ultimately powerless before Śiva—the supreme Pati—who is beyond the bonds (pāśa) that agitate the mind.

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

Śaṅkara here is the Saguna Lord engaged in līlā, yet inwardly untouched; Linga-worship trains the devotee to see the unshakable consciousness of Śiva that remains steady even when desire ‘shoots’ at the mind.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with breath-awareness to subdue kāma, supported by Shaiva disciplines like Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders of vairāgya and Śiva-smarana.