Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 49

विष्णुचेष्टितवर्णनम् / Account of Viṣṇu’s Stratagem and Its Aftermath

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा स याचते मोहात्कामासक्तेन चेतसा । तं चापि तुलसी धात्री रागेणैवावलोकताम्

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā sa yācate mohātkāmāsaktena cetasā | taṃ cāpi tulasī dhātrī rāgeṇaivāvalokatām

Translation

Al verla, él le suplicó en su extravío, con la mente atada al deseo; y también Tulasī, la sustentadora Dhātrī, lo miró únicamente con apego.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• याचते: begs/requests
• याचते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: याच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• मोहात्: from delusion
• मोहात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (Singular)

• काम-आसक्तेन: with a mind attached to desire
• काम-आसक्तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + आसक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular); समासः—तत्पुरुष (कामासक्त = कामे आसक्त)

• चेतसा: with (his) mind
• चेतसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• तुलसी: Tulasī
• तुलसी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुलसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• धात्री: Dhātrī (name/epithet)
• धात्री: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धात्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); तुलसी-समनाधिकरण (appositional)

• रागेण: with passion
• रागेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (Singular)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चयार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अवलोकताम्: (the two) looked at
• अवलोकताम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-लोक् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), द्विवचन (Dual); परस्मैपद

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Tatpuruṣa

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Tārā

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Tulasi
• Dhātrī

FAQs

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

It highlights how moha (delusion) and raga-kama (attachment and desire) become pasha (bondage) that clouds discernment, obstructing devotion and the soul’s movement toward Shiva (Pati) and liberation.

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

By contrasting desire-driven perception with purified seeing, it implies that Saguna Shiva worship (Linga-upasana) is meant to refine the mind from raga into bhakti, so the devotee approaches Shiva with reverence rather than craving.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate vairagya through japa of the Panchakshara (Om Namaḥ Śivāya) and mind-restraint; supporting disciplines like Tripundra (bhasma) and Rudraksha are traditionally used to steady the senses and reduce kama-driven agitation.