Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

मन आधाय यवाद्धि कुरु मारगणैस्सह । मोहो भवेद्यथा शंभोर्दारग्रहणहेतवे

Transliteration

mana ādhāya yavāddhi kuru māragaṇaissaha | moho bhavedyathā śaṃbhordāragrahaṇahetave

Translation

“จงตั้งจิตให้มั่น แล้วเพียรร่วมกับหมู่กองของมาระ (กาม) ให้เกิดความหลงในพระศัมภู เพื่อเป็นเหตุให้ทรงรับพระชายา”

Word by Word

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (Vedic/epic variant for मनः); object of gerund ‘placing the mind’

• आधाय: having fixed; having placed
• आधाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-धा (धातु √धा with उपसर्ग आ)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्), ‘having placed/fixed’

• यवा: barley grains
• यवा: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यवा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (yavān implied; poetic); object with ‘addhi’

• अद्धि: eat
• अद्धि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अद् (धातु √अद्)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), Parasmaipada, 2nd Person, Singular

• कुरु: do
• कुरु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु √कृ)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), Parasmaipada, 2nd Person, Singular

• मार: Māra (Kāma)
• मार: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine stem used as prior member in compound; name ‘Māra/Kāma’

• गणैः: with the attendants
• गणैः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: Preposition-like indeclinable (सह-योगार्थक)

• मारगणैः: with Māra’s retinue
• मारगणैः: Sahakāraka (सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार + गण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; ‘with Māra’s attendants’

• मोहः: delusion
• मोहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• भवेत्: may arise; may become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु √भू)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), Parasmaipada, 3rd Person, Singular

• यथा: so that; as
• यथा: —
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/adverb (यथार्थक) introducing purpose/result clause

• शंभोः: of Śambhu (Śiva)
• शंभोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शंभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• दार: wife
• दार: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine plural stem used as prior member in compound; ‘wife’ (lit. ‘wives/household’)

• ग्रहण: taking; acceptance
• ग्रहण: —
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रहण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter stem used as prior member in compound

• हेतवे: for the purpose/cause
• हेतवे: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; purpose dative

• दारग्रहणहेतवे: for the purpose of taking a wife
• दारग्रहणहेतवे: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दार + ग्रहण + हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; ‘for the purpose of (Śiva’s) taking a wife’

Speaker

Sati’s father Daksha (inferred narrative voice within Satīkhaṇḍa: instigating Kāma/Māra and his hosts to create infatuation so Shiva accepts marriage)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahadeva

Shakti Dimension

Shakti Form: Satī

Role: liberating

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Kama (Mara)

FAQs

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

It highlights kāma and moha as binding forces (pāśa) that try to turn consciousness outward; Śiva, as Pati (the Lord), is ultimately beyond such delusion, showing that liberation requires mastery over desire and mental agitation.

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

The episode frames Śiva’s saguna līlā—appearing to participate in worldly events like marriage—while remaining inwardly untouched; linga-worship trains the devotee to see Śiva as the steady, desire-transcending reality behind changing emotions.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

The practical takeaway is vigilance over the mind (manas) and desire: steadying attention with japa of “Om Namaḥ Śivāya,” supported by Śaiva marks like bhasma (tripuṇḍra) and rudrākṣa to reduce distraction and strengthen detachment.