Shloka 1

कामप्रभावः (कामा॑स्य प्रभाववर्णनम्) — The Power of Kāma and the (Ineffective) Attempt to Delude Śiva

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । तस्मिन् गते सानुचरे शिवस्थानं च मन्मथे । चरित्रमभवच्चित्रं तच्छृणुष्व मुनीश्वर

Transliteration

brahmovāca | tasmin gate sānucare śivasthānaṃ ca manmathe | caritramabhavaccitraṃ tacchṛṇuṣva munīśvara

Translation

Brahmā said: When he (Kāma/Manmatha) went—together with his attendants—to Śiva’s abode, a wondrous course of events unfolded there. Listen, O lord among sages.

Word by Word

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

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

• तस्मिन्: in that (situation/time)
• तस्मिन्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गते: when (he) had gone
• गते: Sati-saptami (सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• स-अनुचरे: along with his attendant
• स-अनुचरे: Sati-saptami (सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + अनुचर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सहार्थक-तत्पुरुषः (अनुचरेण सह)

• शिव-स्थानम्: Śiva’s abode
• शिव-स्थानम्: Adhikarana/Visaya (अधिकरण/विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव + स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य स्थानम्)

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

• मन्मथे: when Manmatha (was there/arrived)
• मन्मथे: Sati-saptami (सति-सप्तमी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्मथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी-अङ्गम्

• चरित्रम्: the episode/story
• चरित्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभवत्: became/occurred
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• चित्रम्: wonderful/strange
• चित्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘चरित्रम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• तत्: that (story)
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘चरित्रम्’ इत्यस्य निर्देशः

• शृणुष्व: listen
• शृणुष्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपदम्

• मुनीश्वर: O lord of sages
• मुनीश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मुनीनां ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga account; Brahmā frames the episode as ‘citra-caritra’—a wondrous unfolding at Śiva’s abode when Kāma arrives with attendants.

Significance: Didactic value: hearing (śravaṇa) of Śiva’s supremacy over moha strengthens vairāgya and devotion.

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Manmatha (Kama)

FAQs

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

It signals a teaching moment: when Kāma approaches Śiva’s realm, the narrative highlights how worldly desire meets the transcendence of Śiva—pointing the seeker toward vairāgya (dispassion) and bhakti as the path to liberation.

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

By locating the event in “Śiva’s abode,” the verse frames Śiva as the supreme refuge (Pati). In Śaiva Siddhānta, Linga/Saguna worship steadies the mind so that impulses like kāma are purified and redirected into devotion.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is śravaṇa (devotional listening) and mantra-japa—especially the Panchākṣarī “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to calm desire and align the mind with Śiva before undertaking worship or vrata (including Mahāśivarātri observances).