Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

तेषां तु वदतां तत्र मारयच्छेदयेति माम् । वचः श्रुत्वा विधिं कामः प्रवक्तुमुपचक्रमे

Transliteration

teṣāṃ tu vadatāṃ tatra mārayacchedayeti mām | vacaḥ śrutvā vidhiṃ kāmaḥ pravaktumupacakrame

Translation

وہاں وہ “مارو، کاٹو” کہتے جا رہے تھے۔ ان کے کلمات سن کر اور ان کی نیت سمجھ کر کام دیو اپنی تدبیر بیان کرنے لگا۔

Word by Word

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• tu: indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वय (but/indeed)

• vadatām: while speaking
• vadatām: Kāla (काल/Temporal circumstance)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; 'while (they) were speaking'

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (there)

• māraya: kill!
• māraya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √mṛ (धातु) caus. (मारयति)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative)

• chēdaya: cut!
• chēdaya: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √chid (धातु) caus. (छेदयति)
• Form: लोट्, मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरणसूचक

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• vacaḥ: speech/words
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of 'śrutvā')

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √śru (धातु) + ktvā (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive): 'having heard'

• vidhim: rule/command/injunction
• vidhim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्म (object of 'pravaktum')

• kāmaḥ: Kāma (Cupid)
• kāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• pravaktum: to speak
• pravaktum: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-√vac (धातु) + tumun (तुमुन्)
• Form: तुमुनन्त (infinitive): 'to speak/declare'

• upacakrame: began
• upacakrame: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-√kram (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; 'began/undertook'

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmin (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shiva Form: Bhairava

Characters & Entities

• Kama

FAQs

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

The verse highlights how impulsive, violent speech arises from agitation and desire; in Shaiva Siddhanta, such kama-driven impulses bind the paśu (individual soul) through pasha (bondage), whereas restraint and devotion to Pati (Shiva) lead toward clarity and liberation.

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

By contrasting hostile, passion-driven intent with right understanding, the narrative indirectly points to the stabilizing role of Saguna Shiva worship—Linga-pūjā, mantra, and bhakti calm rajas/tamas and align the mind toward Shiva’s auspiciousness rather than reactive violence.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is vāṅ-niyama (discipline of speech) supported by japa of the Pañcākṣarī—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—and, where traditional, Tripuṇḍra (bhasma) and rudrākṣa as reminders to restrain desire and anger.