Shloka 20

शिवमायाप्रभाववर्णनम्

Description of the Power/Effects of Śiva’s Māyā

Devanagari script

जगत्प्राणोऽपि गर्वेण मोहितश्शिवमायया । कामेन निर्जितो व्यासश्चक्रेऽन्यस्त्रीरतिं पुरा

Transliteration

jagatprāṇo'pi garveṇa mohitaśśivamāyayā | kāmena nirjito vyāsaścakre'nyastrīratiṃ purā

Translation

ಜಗತ್ತಿನ ಪ್ರಾಣವೆನಿಸಿದ ವ್ಯಾಸರೂ ಗರ್ವದಿಂದ ಶಿವಮಾಯೆಯಿಂದ ಮೋಹಿತರಾದರು. ಕಾಮದಿಂದ ಜಯಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟು, ಪೂರ್ವಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಪರಸ್ತ್ರೀಯಲ್ಲಿ ಆಸಕ್ತಿಯನ್ನು ಹೊಂದಿದರು।

Word by Word

• जगत्-प्राणः: life-breath of the world
• जगत्-प्राणः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत्-प्राण (प्रातिपदिक; जगत् + प्राण)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जगतः प्राणः)

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात

• गर्वेण: by/through pride
• गर्वेण: करण/हेतु (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• मोहितः: deluded
• मोहितः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुह् (धातु) → मोहित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• शिवमायया: by Śiva’s māyā
• शिवमायया: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष

• कामेन: by desire (Kāma)
• कामेन: करण/हेतु (Instrument/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• निर्जितः: conquered/overcome
• निर्जितः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier/कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्-जि (धातु) → निर्जित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त

• व्यासः: Vyāsa
• व्यासः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्यास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चक्रे: did/made
• चक्रे: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• अन्य-स्त्री-रतिम्: desire for another woman
• अन्य-स्त्री-रतिम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य-स्त्री-रति (प्रातिपदिक; अन्य + स्त्री + रति)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (अन्यस्यां स्त्रियां रतिः / अन्यस्त्रीषु रतिः)

• पुरा: formerly/once
• पुरा: कालाधिकरण (Time/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Dakshinamurti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Vyasa
• Kama

FAQs

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

It teaches that even great sages can be bound by pāśas like pride and desire when covered by Śiva’s Māyā; liberation arises through humility, discernment, and turning the mind back to Pati (Śiva).

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

By highlighting the power of Śiva’s Māyā over embodied beings, it points to the need for refuge in Saguna Śiva—often approached through Liṅga worship—so the devotee gains purity, restraint, and grace to transcend kāma.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Cultivate vairāgya and japa of the Pañcākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) with a restrained life; if following Shaiva observance, support it with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrākṣa as reminders to conquer desire and ego.