Shloka 22

कामविवाहवर्णनम् / Description of Kāma’s Marriage

Devanagari script

तद्बाहुयुगुलं कांतं मृणालयुगलायतम् । मृदु स्निग्धं चिरं राजत्कांतिलोहप्रवालवत्

Transliteration

tadbāhuyugulaṃ kāṃtaṃ mṛṇālayugalāyatam | mṛdu snigdhaṃ ciraṃ rājatkāṃtilohapravālavat

Translation

അവളുടെ മനോഹരമായ ഇരുകൈകളും ഇരട്ട താമരത്തണ്ടുകളെപ്പോലെ ദീർഘം—മൃദുവും സ്നിഗ്ധവും, നിത്യപ്രഭയോടെ; ദീപ്തമായ ചുവന്ന പ്രവാളംപോലെ തിളങ്ങി।

Word by Word

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun) used adjectivally

• बाहु-युगुलम्: pair of arms
• बाहु-युगुलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाहु (प्रातिपदिक) + युगुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (bāhūnām yugulam)

• कान्तम्: lovely, beautiful
• कान्तम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• मृणाल-युगल-आयतम्: long like a pair of lotus-stalks
• मृणाल-युगल-आयतम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृणाल (प्रातिपदिक) + युगल (प्रातिपदिक) + आयत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (mṛṇālayugalavat āyatam = lotus-stalk-pair-like long)

• मृदु: soft
• मृदु: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृदु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्निग्धम्: smooth, glossy
• स्निग्धम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्निग्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण

• चिरम्: lasting, long-enduring
• चिरम्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चिर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (here: enduring/long-lasting)

• राजत्-कान्ति-लोह-प्रवाल-वत्: like coral with a shining metallic luster
• राजत्-कान्ति-लोह-प्रवाल-वत्: विशेषण (Adjectival qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: राजत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, शतृ) + कान्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + लोह (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवाल (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित-प्रत्यय)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः + वत्-प्रत्यय (possessing/like)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: nurturing

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Characters & Entities

• Parvati

FAQs

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

By portraying Sati’s auspicious, radiant limbs, the Purana steadies the devotee’s mind in reverent contemplation of Shiva’s Śakti—beauty here functions as a dhārmic support for bhakti and inner purity, leading consciousness toward Shiva (Pati).

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

This is a Saguna (with form) contemplation: devotion to Shiva is deepened by honoring his inseparable power, Śakti (Sati). Such sacred visualization refines emotion and attention, which then becomes fit for Linga-worship and mantra-japa centered on Shiva.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is dhyāna with japa—mentally visualizing the divine couple’s auspiciousness while repeating the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) to stabilize devotion and turn aesthetic admiration into worship.