Shloka 12
The Five Narratives (Pañcākhyāna): Desire, Forbearance, Devotion, and Merit of Hearing
अथोमा शतधा रूपं कृत्वेशं संगता तदा । एवं प्रभावं जानीहि कामस्य सततं द्विज
athomā śatadhā rūpaṃ kṛtveśaṃ saṃgatā tadā | evaṃ prabhāvaṃ jānīhi kāmasya satataṃ dvija
แล้วพระอุมาได้แปลงเป็นร้อยรูป เข้าไปเฝ้าพระอีศะผู้เป็นเจ้า ดังนี้แล โอ้ทวิชะ จงรู้เถิดว่าอานุภาพแห่งกามะ (ความใคร่ปรารถนา) นั้นดำรงอยู่เสมอ
Unspecified narrator addressing a dvija (contextual teacher-to-disciple narration; exact dialogue pair not explicit in this single verse).
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shringara
Sandhi Resolution Notes: अथोमा = अथ उमा; कृत्वेशं = कृत्वा ईशम्
FAQs
It presents desire (kāma) as a continually operative force—capable of shaping behavior and events—so powerful that it is singled out for the listener to “know” as an enduring influence.
The phrase suggests extraordinary transformative capacity and strategic manifestation—Umā’s ability to appear in many modes/forms to approach Īśa—highlighting divine agency and the dramatic intensity of the narrative.
The verse cautions that desire is persistent and influential; spiritual discernment requires recognizing its ongoing power rather than underestimating it.