Shloka 5

अध्याय ४९ — विवाहानुष्ठाने ब्रह्मणः काममोहः

Brahmā’s Enchantment by Desire during the Wedding Rites

Devanagari script

तस्मिन्नवसरे चाहं शिवमायाविमोहितः । अपश्यञ्चरणे देव्या नखेन्दुञ्च मनोहरम्

Transliteration

tasminnavasare cāhaṃ śivamāyāvimohitaḥ | apaśyañcaraṇe devyā nakhenduñca manoharam

Translation

At that very moment, I too—bewildered by Śiva’s māyā—beheld upon the Goddess’s foot the lovely, moon-like gleam of her toenail.

Word by Word

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अवसरे: occasion/time
• अवसरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवसर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• शिव-माया-विमोहितः: deluded by Śiva’s māyā
• शिव-माया-विमोहितः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + माया (प्रातिपदिक) + वि-मुह् (धातु) → विमोहित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य मायया विमोहितः)

• अपश्यन्: seeing
• अपश्यन्: Kriya (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी; ‘seeing’

• चरणे: at/on the foot
• चरणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• देव्याः: of the goddess
• देव्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• नख-इन्दुम्: the moon-like nail
• नख-इन्दुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नख (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (इन्दुः इव नखः/नखे इन्दुः—‘moon-like nail’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• मनोहरम्: charming
• मनोहरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोहर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying नख-इन्दुम्)

Speaker

Lord Shiva

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Pārvatī

Role: teaching

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Parvati

FAQs

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

It highlights that even exalted beings can be drawn into Śiva’s māyā, teaching that liberation comes not by denying the world but by recognizing the Divine (Śiva-Śakti) as its inner reality and moving from fascination to devotional discernment.

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

The verse reflects Saguna experience—Divinity apprehended through form and beauty—while implying the Shaiva view that such experiences should mature into steady devotion to Śiva (often centered on the Liṅga) and insight into the transcendent (Nirguṇa) ground.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind with japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and contemplate Śiva-Śakti as one reality, so sensory attraction is refined into bhakti and inner recollection rather than distraction.