Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

इत्याकर्ण्य वचः कामः प्रोवाच वचनं पुनः । देवर्षे गौरवं मत्वा प्रणम्य विनयेन माम्

Transliteration

ityākarṇya vacaḥ kāmaḥ provāca vacanaṃ punaḥ | devarṣe gauravaṃ matvā praṇamya vinayena mām

Translation

ఆ మాటలు విని కాముడు మళ్లీ పలికెను. దేవర్షి గౌరవాన్ని గ్రహించి వినయంతో నాకు నమస్కరించి భక్తితో మాటలాడెను।

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle/quotative (इति-प्रयोगः), indeclinable (अव्यय)

• ākarṇya: having heard
• ākarṇya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā√karṇ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from ā√karṇ ‘to hear’

• vacaḥ: speech/words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म/object of hearing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• kāmaḥ: Kāma
• kāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• provāca: said/spoke forth
• provāca: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• vacanam: a statement
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म/object of speaking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• punaḥ: again
• punaḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punaḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण), indeclinable (अव्यय)

• devarṣe: O divine sage
• devarṣe: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devarṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन); compound देव+ऋषि (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/‘deva of sages’/‘divine sage’)

• gauravam: reverence/importance
• gauravam: Karma (कर्म/object of considering)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaurava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• matvā: having considered
• matvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: man (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from √man ‘to think/consider’

• praṇamya: having bowed
• praṇamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√nam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from pra√nam ‘to bow’

• vinayena: with humility
• vinayena: Karaṇa (करण/instrument-manner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vinaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म/object—towards me)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Sati Khanda dialogue, reporting Kāma’s respectful address to the devarṣi)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Characters & Entities

• Kama

FAQs

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

The verse highlights vinaya (humility) and guru/devarṣi-gourava (reverence to realized sages) as essential dispositions for receiving dharma and Shaiva insight—qualities that purify desire and align the mind toward Shiva.

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

Although the verse is narrative, it supports a key Shaiva practice-principle: approaching Shiva’s worship (including Linga-upasana) with humility and respectful conduct, which is foundational for fruitful saguna-bhakti and receiving instruction on rites and meanings.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The implied takeaway is to begin worship with pranama and vinaya—salutation to Shiva and to the teacher/sage—then proceed with disciplined japa (such as the Panchakshara, “Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) in a reverential, ego-softened state.