Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 53

कामशापानुग्रहः (Kāmaśāpānugraha) — “The Curse and Grace Concerning Kāma”

Devanagari script

सर्वावयवरम्या च पूर्णचन्द्राननाम्बुजा । नाम्ना रतिरिति ख्याता मुनीनामपि मोहिनी

Transliteration

sarvāvayavaramyā ca pūrṇacandrānanāmbujā | nāmnā ratiriti khyātā munīnāmapi mohinī

Translation

Elle était gracieuse en chacun de ses membres; son visage, tel un lotus, rayonnait comme la pleine lune. On la connaissait sous le nom de Rati, et sa beauté pouvait envoûter même les ascètes; mais, selon l’intelligence śaiva, ce charme demeure dans la māyā et ne saurait surpasser la grâce libératrice du Seigneur Śiva.

Word by Word

• सर्व-अवयव-रम्या: beautiful in all limbs
• सर्व-अवयव-रम्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अवयव (प्रातिपदिक) + रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषण (fem. nom. sg.)

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

• पूर्ण-चन्द्र-आनन-अम्बुजा: she whose lotus-like face is like the full moon
• पूर्ण-चन्द्र-आनन-अम्बुजा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + चन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन (प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—“पूर्णचन्द्र इव आननं यस्याः (अम्बुजम्/अम्बुजसदृशम्)” (fem. nom. sg.)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-अर्थे (instr. sg.: “by name/as”)

• रतिḥ: Rati
• रतिḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ख्याता: known/called
• ख्याता: Kriyā (क्रिया/finite sense via participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकर्मणि/भूतभावे (past passive participle: “known/called”)

• मुनीनाम्: of sages
• मुनीनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

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

• मोहिनी: enchantress (one who deludes)
• मोहिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun: “enchantress”)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Characters & Entities

• Rati

FAQs

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

The verse highlights extraordinary worldly beauty (Rati) that can sway even disciplined minds, underscoring a Shaiva lesson: fascination and desire belong to māyā, while true freedom comes from devotion to Śiva and dispassion (vairāgya).

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

By contrasting sensory enchantment with spiritual steadiness, it implicitly directs the seeker toward Saguna Śiva—worship of the Liṅga as a stabilizing focus that purifies desire and leads the mind beyond delusion toward Śiva’s grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice steady japa of the Pañcākṣarī mantra ("Om Namaḥ Śivāya") and Liṅga-dhyāna to restrain distraction; support it with simple Śaiva disciplines like vibhūti (tripuṇḍra) and daily worship to cultivate vairāgya.