Shloka 18

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

Devanagari script

नीलकंठं महादेवं सगणं तत्पुरःस्थिताः । अकार्षुमोहितं भावं मृगाश्च पक्षिणस्तथा

Transliteration

nīlakaṃṭhaṃ mahādevaṃ sagaṇaṃ tatpuraḥsthitāḥ | akārṣumohitaṃ bhāvaṃ mṛgāśca pakṣiṇastathā

Translation

Standing before Nīlakaṇṭha Mahādeva—Śiva, attended by His gaṇas—the deer and the birds too were drawn into an enchanted, deluded state of mind.

Word by Word

• नीलकण्ठम्: Nīlakaṇṭha (blue-throated Śiva)
• नीलकण्ठम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīla + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: नीलः कण्ठः यस्य सः (epithet of Śiva)

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva
• महादेवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महान् देवः

• सगणम्: with (his) gaṇas
• सगणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (सह) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष: गणैः सह (with his attendants)

• तत्: of him/that
• तत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन; अत्र ‘तत्’ = ‘his/that’ (genitive sense before पुरः)

• पुरः: in front
• पुरः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: puras (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘in front’ (governing genitive)

• स्थिताः: stood
• स्थिताः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (स्था धातु) + sthita (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्यय, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्तरि “standing/placed” (agreeing with mṛgāḥ, pakṣiṇaḥ)

• अकार्षुः: they made/caused
• अकार्षुः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: लुङ्-लकार (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन (3rd person plural); परस्मैपद

• मोहितम्: deluded/enchanted
• मोहितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √muh (मुह् धातु) + mohita (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying भावम्)

• भावम्: state/emotion
• भावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative, Singular)

• मृगाः: deer
• मृगाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (and)

• पक्षिणः: birds
• पक्षिणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pakṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Plural)

• तथा: likewise/also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकार/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (so/likewise/also)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmī (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Nīlakaṇṭha

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It shows the overwhelming śakti of Śiva’s saguna presence: even animals become inwardly transformed, illustrating that all beings (paśu) can be touched by Pati (the Lord) when the mind (bhāva) is seized by divine attraction.

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

The verse emphasizes darśana of Śiva in a manifest, approachable form (saguna)—Nīlakaṇṭha with His gaṇas—highlighting how focused presence and devotion can absorb the mind, which is the inner aim of Liṅga worship as well.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate steady darśana and smaraṇa (remembrance) of Śiva—especially Nīlakaṇṭha—supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to draw the mind away from distraction and into one-pointed devotion.