Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

गत्वा तत्र महावीरो मन्मथो मोहकारकः । स्वप्रभावं ततानाशु मोहयामास प्राणिनः

Transliteration

gatvā tatra mahāvīro manmatho mohakārakaḥ | svaprabhāvaṃ tatānāśu mohayāmāsa prāṇinaḥ

Translation

Having gone there, the mighty hero Manmatha (Kāma), the maker of delusion, swiftly spread his own influence and caused living beings to fall into infatuation and confusion.

Word by Word

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund); ‘गत्वा’ = having gone

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: there)

• महावीरः: the great hero
• महावीरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + वीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् वीरः)

• मन्मथः: Manmatha
• मन्मथः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्मथ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मोहकारकः: causing delusion
• मोहकारकः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोह + कारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मोहस्य कारकः)

• स्व-प्रभावम्: his own power/influence
• स्व-प्रभावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य प्रभावः)

• ततान: spread/extended
• ततान: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: काल/रीति-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb: quickly)

• मोहयामास: deluded
• मोहयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु) + णिच् (causative)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; णिजन्त (causative)

• प्राणिनः: living beings
• प्राणिनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राणिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not tied to a Jyotirliṅga; depicts Kāma’s ‘mohana’ as a field-effect of bondage operating upon embodied beings in Śiva’s vicinity.

Significance: Contemplative takeaway: recognize kāma/moha as pāśa (bondage) that spreads through saṅga; cultivate Śiva-bhakti and discrimination (viveka).

Characters & Entities

• Manmatha

FAQs

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

It highlights how kāma (desire) manifests as moha (delusion) that clouds the jīva’s discernment; Shaiva teaching points toward turning the mind from sense-driven agitation to Shiva-bhakti and inner clarity for liberation.

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

Manmatha’s influence symbolizes the mind being pulled outward; Linga/Saguna Shiva worship gathers attention back to the Lord as Pati, stabilizing the mind and weakening pasha-like bonds such as desire and infatuation.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchakshara (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with steady dhyāna on Shiva, supported by simple Shaiva disciplines like wearing rudrākṣa and applying tripuṇḍra-bhasma to cultivate vairāgya and mental steadiness.