Shloka 41

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इति तद्वाक्यमाकर्ण्य मुनेऽहं लोककारकः । तमवोचं ह मदनं तेषां कर्मादिकं दिशन्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | iti tadvākyamākarṇya mune'haṃ lokakārakaḥ | tamavocaṃ ha madanaṃ teṣāṃ karmādikaṃ diśan

Translation

Brahmā said: “O sage, having thus heard those words, I—the creator and arranger of the worlds—then spoke to Madana (Kāma), instructing him regarding their duties and the course of action to be undertaken.”

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्/Perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-प्रयोग)

• tat-vākyam: that statement
• tat-vākyam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम) + vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (that statement)

• ākarṇya: having heard
• ākarṇya: Kriyā (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā + √kṛ (कृ धातु) / √karṇ (कर्ण्) (श्रवणे) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), from √karṇ/√śru sense 'having heard'

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: First person pronoun, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• loka-kārakaḥ: creator of the worlds
• loka-kārakaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + kāraka (प्रातिपदिक; √kṛ)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (maker/creator of the worlds)

• tam: to him / that one
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• avocam: I spoke
• avocam: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्/Aorist), Parasmaipada, 1st Person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular

• ha: indeed
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (स्म/ह इत्यादि निपात)

• madanam: Madana (Kāma)
• madanam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; addressed/mentioned person (likely Kāma)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural

• karma-ādikam: their duties and so on
• karma-ādikam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karma (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + ka (प्रत्यय)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; तत्पुरुषः (work and the rest; duties etc.)

• diśan: assigning/directing
• diśan: Karta (कर्ता/Agent participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √diś (दिश् धातु) (कृदन्त)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agreeing with 'aham'

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Sadāśiva

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: institution of kārya-vibhāga (division of functions) among deities/forces in the created order

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Madana (Kama)

FAQs

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

It highlights the cosmic governance of dharma: even forces like desire (Kāma) operate under higher divine order, reminding the seeker that liberation in Shaiva Siddhanta comes by aligning impulses with right duty and Shiva’s will.

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

By placing Kāma under instruction, the text implicitly prioritizes devotion and discipline over passion; in Linga/Saguna Shiva worship, the devotee redirects desire into bhakti, purity, and regulated conduct that supports Shiva-oriented sadhana.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is restraint and redirection of desire through japa—especially the Panchakshara “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and steady dharmic living, which stabilizes the mind for Shiva-bhakti.