Shloka 21

कामप्रहारः — The Subduing of Kāma (Desire) / Kāma’s Assault and Its Futility

Devanagari script

जातायां चैव संज्ञायां रतिरत्यंतविह्वला । विललाप तदा तत्रोच्चरंती विविधं वचः

Transliteration

jātāyāṃ caiva saṃjñāyāṃ ratiratyaṃtavihvalā | vilalāpa tadā tatroccaraṃtī vividhaṃ vacaḥ

Translation

เมื่อสติกลับคืนมา รตีก็โศกเศร้าอัดอั้นยิ่งนัก นางร่ำไห้คร่ำครวญ ณ ที่นั้น เปล่งถ้อยคำหลากหลายออกมา

Word by Word

• जातायाम्: when (it) had arisen/returned
• जातायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle) स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (locative absolute), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphasis)

• संज्ञायाम्: in (her) consciousness/sense
• संज्ञायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संज्ञा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी-आश्रय (in consciousness)

• रतिः: Rati
• रतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अत्यन्तविह्वला: extremely distraught
• अत्यन्तविह्वला: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अत्यन्त + विह्वल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to ratiḥ)

• विललाप: lamented
• विललाप: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: लप् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्; वि-उपसर्ग

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

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय

• उच्चरन्ती: uttering/speaking
• उच्चरन्ती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उद्-चर् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणभावे (concomitant action)

• विविधम्: various
• विविधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to vacaḥ)

• वचः: words/speech
• वचः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म (object of uttering)

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating to the sages at Naimisharanya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: No jyotirliṅga linkage; the verse continues Rati’s psychological turmoil after Kāma’s destruction.

Significance: Hearing this lament is used in kathā contexts to underscore the instability of saṃsāric supports and the need for śaraṇāgati to Śiva.

Characters & Entities

• Rati

FAQs

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

The verse portrays intense human grief returning with consciousness; in a Shaiva Siddhanta lens, such sorrow becomes a turning-point where the bound soul (paśu) confronts limitation and is led toward surrender to Pati (Shiva), the only stable refuge beyond worldly ties.

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

Rati’s lament highlights the fragility of worldly love and identity; Saguna Shiva worship—often centered on the Shiva-Linga—offers a concrete refuge for the mind in turmoil, redirecting emotion into devotion and remembrance of Shiva’s protecting grace.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is to steady grief through japa of the Panchakshara mantra (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple Shiva-abhisheka or silent Linga-dhyana, converting agitation into focused prayer.