Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 43

कामप्रभावः (कामा॑स्य प्रभाववर्णनम्) — The Power of Kāma and the (Ineffective) Attempt to Delude Śiva

Devanagari script

सदैव विघ्नं जंतूनां करिष्यन्ति गणा इमे । विना निजार्चनं काम नाना कामरतात्मनाम्

Transliteration

sadaiva vighnaṃ jaṃtūnāṃ kariṣyanti gaṇā ime | vinā nijārcanaṃ kāma nānā kāmaratātmanām

Translation

ഈ ഗണങ്ങൾ എപ്പോഴും പലവിധ ആഗ്രഹങ്ങളിലും ഭോഗങ്ങളിലും മുങ്ങിയ ജീവികൾക്ക് വിഘ്നം സൃഷ്ടിക്കും—ആഗ്രഹവശാൽ ആദ്യം തങ്ങളുടെ യഥോചിത ആരാധന ചെയ്യാതെ ലക്ഷ്യം തേടുമ്പോൾ.

Word by Word

• सदा: always
• सदा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle; emphasis

• विघ्नम्: obstacle
• विघ्नम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विघ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• जन्तूनाम्: of creatures
• जन्तूनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन्तु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• करिष्यन्ति: will do/make
• करिष्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future/भविष्यत्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• गणाः: groups/gaṇas
• गणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन

• इमे: these
• इमे: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषण—‘these’ (qualifying गणाः)

• विना: without
• विना: Apādāna/Viśeṣaṇa (अपादान/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विना (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्गसदृश-अव्यय; वियोगार्थ (without)

• निज-अर्चनम्: one’s own worship
• निज-अर्चनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक; from अर्च् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘one’s own worship’

• काम: O Kāma
• काम: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (vocative-like interjection) / संबोधनार्थ निपातवत्; addressing ‘O Kāma’

• नाना: various
• नाना: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाना (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विविधार्थ (variously/many kinds)

• काम-रत-आत्मनाम्: of desire-attached persons
• काम-रत-आत्मनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘of those whose selves are attached to desire’

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Paśupatinātha

Shakti Dimension

Role: teaching

Ritual Elements

Offering: pushpa

Cosmic Context

Cosmic Event: institution of vighna as moral-cosmic feedback: obstacles arise for kāma-driven beings lacking proper worship

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ganas

FAQs

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

It teaches that desire-bound living beings (pāśa-bound) meet impediments when they chase pleasures without first aligning themselves through worship and dharmic intention; devotion disciplines kāma and turns the mind toward Shiva, the remover of bondage.

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

In Shaiva practice, approaching Saguna Shiva—often through Liṅga worship—purifies intention and establishes divine order; without such propitiation, actions driven by craving invite ‘vighna’ as a corrective force from Shiva’s gaṇas.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Begin undertakings with Shiva worship—recite the Pañcākṣarī (Om Namaḥ Śivāya), apply Tripuṇḍra (bhasma), and offer simple Liṅga-pūjā—so desire is subordinated to devotion and obstacles are pacified.