Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

चंपकान्केशरान्वालान्कारणान्पाटलांस्तथा । नागकेशरपुन्नागान्किंशुकान्केतकान्करान्

Transliteration

caṃpakānkeśarānvālānkāraṇānpāṭalāṃstathā | nāgakeśarapunnāgānkiṃśukānketakānkarān

Translation

“(One should offer) campaka blossoms, saffron-like flowers, vāla flowers, kāraṇa flowers, and pāṭalā blossoms; likewise nāgakeśara, punnāga, kiṃśuka, ketaka, and clusters of fresh flowers as sacred offerings.”

Word by Word

• चम्पकान्: campaka trees/flowers
• चम्पकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चम्पक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• केशरान्: keśara (a fragrant tree/flower)
• केशरान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केशर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• वालान्: vāla plants/trees
• वालान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• कारणान्: kāraṇa trees
• कारणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• पाटलान्: pāṭala trees
• पाटलान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाटल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• तथा: and also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक (and also/likewise)

• नागकेशरपुन्नागान्: nāgakeśara and punnāga trees
• नागकेशरपुन्नागान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नागकेशर + पुन्नाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (नागकेशराश्च पुन्नागाश्च)

• किंशुकान्: kiṃśuka (palāśa) trees
• किंशुकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किंशुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• केतकान्: ketaka (pandanus) plants
• केतकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

• करान्: hands / rays (context-dependent)
• करान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Jyotirlinga Context

Significance: Models dravya-śuddhi and bhakti through floral upacāras; offering fragrant flowers is said to please Śiva and support inner purification (citta-śuddhi) leading toward grace.

Shakti Dimension

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Sati

FAQs

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

It teaches that loving, sattvic offerings—especially pure and fragrant flowers—are a concrete expression of bhakti, refining the devotee’s mind and making it fit for Śiva’s grace (anugraha), which is central to liberation in Shaiva Siddhanta.

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

These flowers function as upacāras (ritual services) offered to Saguna Śiva—often worshipped as the Śiva-liṅga—where tangible devotion supports inner contemplation of Śiva as Pati (the Lord) who receives offerings through the liṅga-form.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Perform Śiva-pūjā with floral offerings while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and maintaining purity of intention; the verse emphasizes the offering-act as disciplined devotion rather than mere ornamentation.