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Shloka 52

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

काम उवाच । मया सम्यक् कृतं कर्म मोहने तस्य यत्नतः । तन्मोहो नाभवत्तात न भविष्यति नाधुना

kāma uvāca | mayā samyak kṛtaṃ karma mohane tasya yatnataḥ | tanmoho nābhavattāta na bhaviṣyati nādhunā

Kāma said: “With full effort I have properly performed my task of deluding him. Yet, dear one, that delusion did not arise in him—nor will it arise, not now and not in the future.”

kāmaḥKāma
kāmaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootkāma (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
mayāby me
mayā:
Karta (कर्ता/agent in passive sense)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)
samyakproperly
samyak:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsamyak (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण), indeclinable (अव्यय)
kṛtamdone
kṛtam:
Kriyā (क्रिया—predicate adjective)
TypeVerb
Root√kṛ (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त/कृदन्त), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with कर्म
karmaact/deed
karma:
Karta (कर्ता/subject—‘the act’)
TypeNoun
Rootkarman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
mohanein/for delusion (bewildering)
mohane:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location-purpose sphere)
TypeNoun
Rootmohana (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)
tasyaof him
tasya:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (एकवचन)
yatnataḥwith effort/earnestly
yatnataḥ:
Hetu (हेतु/cause-manner)
TypeNoun
Rootyatna (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular (एकवचन); used adverbially ‘with effort/earnestly’
tatthat
tat:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/determiner)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Singular (एकवचन)
mohaḥdelusion
mohaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootmoha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध), indeclinable (अव्यय)
abhavatoccurred/was
abhavat:
Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Root√bhū (धातु)
FormImperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
tātaO dear one/son
tāta:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
TypeNoun
Roottāta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध), indeclinable (अव्यय)
bhaviṣyatiwill be/occur
bhaviṣyati:
Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Root√bhū (धातु)
FormSimple Future (लृट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध), indeclinable (अव्यय)
adhunānow
adhunā:
Kāla (काल/time)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootadhunā (अव्यय)
FormAdverb of time (कालवाचक-अव्यय)

Kāma (Manmatha)

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Role: liberating

FAQs

It highlights Shiva’s transcendence over kāma (desire) and moha (delusion): the Supreme Pati cannot be bound by pasha, showing that true tapas and Shiva-consciousness are beyond psychological compulsion.

The Linga signifies Shiva as the unconditioned reality; this verse mirrors that teaching by showing that even the force of desire cannot disturb him, encouraging devotees to approach Saguna Shiva for grace and Nirguna truth for liberation.

Practice restraint of the senses and steady japa of the Panchākṣarī mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with focused meditation to weaken kāma and moha, aligning the mind with Shiva’s detachment.