Shloka 12

कामविवाहवर्णनम् / Description of Kāma’s Marriage

Devanagari script

तस्याः स्वभावसुरभिधीरश्वासानिलं तथा । आघ्राय मदनः श्रद्धां त्यक्तवान् मलयांतिके

Transliteration

tasyāḥ svabhāvasurabhidhīraśvāsānilaṃ tathā | āghrāya madanaḥ śraddhāṃ tyaktavān malayāṃtike

Translation

Near the Malaya mountain, Madana (Kāma), having inhaled the breeze that carried the steady, naturally fragrant breath of Satī, at once abandoned his former resolve and became filled with reverent faith.

Word by Word

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• स्वभावसुरभिधीरश्वासानिलम्: the wind of her naturally fragrant, steady breath
• स्वभावसुरभिधीरश्वासानिलम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वभाव + सुरभि + धीर + श्वास + अनिल (प्रातिपदिक-समूह)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष-समास (विशेषण-विशेष्यभाव): स्वभावेन सुरभिः धीरः श्वासः यस्य सः अनिलः/वायुः (her naturally fragrant, steady breath-wind)

• तथा: likewise, also
• तथा: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: रीति/समुच्चय-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb: likewise/also)

• आघ्राय: having smelled
• आघ्राय: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-घ्रा (धातु) + ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (कृदन्त)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), ‘having smelled’

• मदनः: Madana (Kāma)
• मदनः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• श्रद्धाम्: confidence, trust
• श्रद्धाम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रद्धा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• त्यक्तवान्: abandoned
• त्यक्तवान्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु) + क्तवत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having abandoned/abandoned’

• मलयान्तिके: near the Malaya (mountain)
• मलयान्तिके: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मलयान्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास: मलय + अन्तिक (near)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Umāpati

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: The verse situates events near the Malaya mountain; it is not presented here as a Jyotirliṅga-sthala in the Śiva Purāṇa’s Jyotirliṅga cycle.

Significance: Remembering Satī’s purity and the involuntary ‘conversion’ of Kāma into reverent restraint is framed as cultivating śraddhā and self-mastery.

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Sati
• Madana (Kama)

FAQs

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

It shows how proximity to Satī’s sattvic purity transforms even Madana—symbol of desire—into śraddhā (reverent faith), indicating that devotion aligned with Śiva purifies and redirects worldly impulses.

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

Satī’s sanctity is inseparable from Śiva-tattva; the verse suggests that contact with Śiva-oriented purity naturally awakens reverence, which is the inner basis for Saguna worship such as Linga-pūjā performed with faith and restraint.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate śraddhā and steadiness (dhairya) through japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” and mindful breath-awareness (prāṇa-smṛti), letting agitating desire settle into devotional focus.