Shloka 32

शिवमायाप्रभाववर्णनम्

Description of the Power/Effects of Śiva’s Māyā

Devanagari script

गौतमश्च मुनिश्शंभोर्मायामोहितमानसः । दृष्ट्वा शारद्वतीं नग्नां रराम क्षुभितस्तया

Transliteration

gautamaśca muniśśaṃbhormāyāmohitamānasaḥ | dṛṣṭvā śāradvatīṃ nagnāṃ rarāma kṣubhitastayā

Translation

Gautama, the sage—his mind deluded by Śambhu’s māyā—on seeing Śāradvatī unclothed, was stirred by her and engaged in amorous enjoyment.

Word by Word

• गौतमः: Gautama
• गौतमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• मुनिः: sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; गौतमस्य विशेषणरूपेण (appositional)

• शम्भोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शम्भोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शम्भु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• माया: by (his) illusion
• माया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; (समासे पूर्वपद)

• मोहित-मानसः: whose mind was deluded
• मोहित-मानसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोहित (कृदन्त; √मुह् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय) + मानस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय-प्रायः: मोहितं मानसं यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गौतमं विशेषयति

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (क्रिया; prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• शारद्वतीम्: Śāradvatī (woman)
• शारद्वतीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शारद्वती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• नग्नाम्: naked
• नग्नाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नग्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शारद्वतीम् विशेषयति

• रराम: he took delight / became enamored
• रराम: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √रम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• क्षुभितः: agitated
• क्षुभितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षुभित (कृदन्त; √क्षुभ् धातु, क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; गौतमं विशेषयति

• तया: by her
• तया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Gautama
• Shambhu
• Sharadvati

FAQs

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

It illustrates that under Śiva’s māyā (pāśa/bondage), even a learned sage can be shaken by desire; liberation requires Śiva’s grace (anugraha) and steady discrimination (viveka) to transcend delusion.

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

By showing Śambhu as the Lord who governs māyā, the verse points to Saguna Śiva as the compassionate ruler of bondage and release; worship of the Liṅga with devotion and purity is presented as a means to seek His grace to overcome inner impulses.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady the mind through japa of the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and maintain śauca (purity) and brahmacarya-like restraint; applying bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and regular Śiva-pūjā are traditional supports for controlling kāma and māyā-driven agitation.