Shloka 16

वसन्त-प्रभावः तथा काम-उद्दीपन-वर्णनम् | Spring’s Influence and the Arousal of Kāma

Devanagari script

स्वप्रभावं वितस्तार मोहयन्सकलाञ्जनान् । रत्यायुक्तं तदा कामं दृष्ट्वा को वा न मोहितः

Transliteration

svaprabhāvaṃ vitastāra mohayansakalāñjanān | ratyāyuktaṃ tadā kāmaṃ dṛṣṭvā ko vā na mohitaḥ

Translation

Ketika itu Kāma, bersatu dengan Rati, mengembangkan kuasanya sendiri lalu memperdaya semua makhluk. Melihat Kāma dalam keadaan demikian, siapakah yang tidak akan terpesona?

Word by Word

• स्व-प्रभावम्: his own power/splendor
• स्व-प्रभावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (स्वस्य प्रभावः); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वितस्तार: spread forth
• वितस्तार: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-स्तृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• मोहयन्: bewildering
• मोहयन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण (concomitant action)

• सकल-अञ्जनान्: all people/creatures (all beings)
• सकल-अञ्जनान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक) + अञ्जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• रत्या: with Rati
• रत्या: Sahakari (सहकारी/सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• युक्तम्: joined, accompanied
• युक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying कामम्)

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• कामम्: Kāma
• कामम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), 'having seen'

• कः: who?
• कः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• वा: indeed / or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्प/उदाहरणार्थक अव्यय (particle: 'indeed/or')

• न: not
• न: Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• मोहितः: bewildered
• मोहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

Speaker

Suta Goswami

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Characters & Entities

• Kama
• Rati

FAQs

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

It highlights how kāma (desire), empowered by its own shakti and supported by Rati, can bewilder embodied beings—implying that liberation in Shaiva teaching requires mastery over sense-delusion through devotion and discernment.

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

By showing the overwhelming force of desire, the verse indirectly points to taking refuge in Saguna Shiva (and Linga worship) as a stabilizing support—turning the mind from sensory fascination toward Shiva’s auspicious form and grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Japa of the Panchakshara mantra “Om Namaḥ Śivāya” with a vow of self-restraint, along with Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and Rudrāksha as reminders of vairāgya, is a practical takeaway for reducing the agitation of kāma.