Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 23, Shloka 10
कामाश्रम
प्रवेशः / Entry into Kāma’s Hermitage at the Sarayū–Gaṅgā Confluence
कन्दर्पो मूर्तिमानासीत्काम इत्युच्यते बुधै:।तपस्यन्तमिह स्थाणुं नियमेन समाहितम्।।।।कृतोद्वाहं तु देवेशं गच्छन्तं समरुद्गगणम्।धर्षयामास दुर्मेधा हुङ्कृतश्च महात्मना।।।।
kandarpo mūrtimān āsīt kāma ity ucyate budhaiḥ |
tapasyantam iha sthāṇuṁ niyamena samāhitam || 1.23.10 ||
kṛtodvāhaṁ tu deveśaṁ gacchantaṁ samarudgagaṇam |
dharṣayāmāsa durmedhā huṅkṛtaś ca mahātmanā || 1.23.11 ||
“Di sini dahulu Kandarpa pernah berwujud; para bijaksana menamakannya Kāma. Di tempat ini, ketika Dewa Sthāṇu (Śiva), Penguasa para dewa, tenggelam dalam tapa dengan disiplin yang teguh—bersama permaisuri yang baru dinikahi—Kāma yang dungu niatnya mengganggu Baginda ketika Baginda melintas bersama bala Marut; lalu Tuhan Yang Agung mengaum dahsyat.”
When the night turned into day-break, the eminent ascetic Viswamitra, addressing the descendants of Kakutstha (Rama and Lakshmana) who were lying on a bed of leaves said:
FAQs
Dharma as restraint and reverence: desire (kāma) becomes destructive when it violates tapas and disrespects the sacred; discipline protects truth and spiritual order.
Viśvāmitra begins a local sacred-history: Kāma/Kandarpa offends Śiva during his austerity, prompting Śiva’s fierce response.
Śiva’s unwavering tapas (self-mastery) contrasted with Kāma’s lack of discernment—highlighting the Ramayana’s esteem for self-control.