Shloka 16

कामशापानुग्रहः (Kāmaśāpānugraha) — “The Curse and Grace Concerning Kāma”

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इति संचित्य मनसा निश्चित्य च मनोभवः । पुष्पजं पुष्पजातस्य योजयामास मार्गणैः

Transliteration

brahmovāca | iti saṃcitya manasā niścitya ca manobhavaḥ | puṣpajaṃ puṣpajātasya yojayāmāsa mārgaṇaiḥ

Translation

Brahmā said: Having thus gathered his thoughts and come to a firm resolve in his mind, Manobhava (Kāma, the god of desire) then fitted his flower-born arrows to the flower-born bow and made them ready for use.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle: thus)

• संचित्य: having gathered
• संचित्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+चि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund): ‘having collected/accumulated’

• मनसा: with the mind
• मनसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• निश्चित्य: having decided
• निश्चित्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+चित् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund): ‘having ascertained/decided’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मनोभवः: Manobhava (Kāma)
• मनोभवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् + भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘मनसः भवः’ (born of mind)

• पुष्पजम्: the flower-born (weapon/arrow)
• पुष्पजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘पुष्पात् जातम्’ (flower-born)

• पुष्पजातस्य: of the flower-born one (Kāma)
• पुष्पजातस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्प + जात (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘पुष्पे जातः’ (born of flowers)

• योजयामास: fitted/attached
• योजयामास: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Periphrastic perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative): ‘caused to be joined/placed’

• मार्गणैः: with arrows
• मार्गणैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Manobhava (Kama)

FAQs

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

It highlights how kāma (desire), arising in the mind, first consolidates as intention and resolve before manifesting as action—illustrating a key Shaiva insight that mental impulses can become bondage (pāśa) unless restrained by devotion and discernment oriented to Shiva (Pati).

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

In the Satīkhaṇḍa narrative, Kāma’s attempt to provoke Shiva underscores Shiva’s transcendence over sensory and mental agitation; worship of the Liṅga as Saguna Shiva trains the devotee to withdraw from such disturbances and anchor the mind in the Lord’s steady presence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is mind-discipline: japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and steady dhyāna on Shiva to counter the mind’s fixation on desire; on Mahāśivarātri, intensified japa and vrata are traditionally used to subdue kāma and support vairāgya.