Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 6

कामविवाहवर्णनम् / Description of Kāma’s Marriage

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मोवाच । इत्युक्त्वा प्रददौ तस्यै देहस्वेदांबुसम्भवाम् । कंदर्प्पायाग्रतः कृत्वा नाम कृत्वा रतीति ताम्

Transliteration

brahmovāca | ityuktvā pradadau tasyai dehasvedāṃbusambhavām | kaṃdarppāyāgrataḥ kṛtvā nāma kṛtvā ratīti tām

Translation

梵天（Brahmā）说道：如是言毕，他赐予她——由其身汗之湿润所生——并将她置于爱神迦摩（Kandarpā）之前，赐名为“罗蒂”（Ratī）。

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Brahmā)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (said)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Kriya (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having said

• pradadau: gave
• pradadau: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (gave)

• tasyai: to her
• tasyai: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (to her)

• deha-sveda-ambu-sambhavām: born from the water of bodily sweat
• deha-sveda-ambu-sambhavām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: deha (प्रातिपदिक) + sveda (प्रातिपदिक) + ambu (प्रातिपदिक) + sambhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (deha-sveda-ambu-sambhavā = born from the water of bodily sweat)

• kandarppāya: to Kandarpa (Cupid)
• kandarppāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kandarpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (to Kandarpa/Kāma)

• agrataḥ: in front (of)
• agrataḥ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: agratas (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: in front/presence)

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Kriya (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having made/done

• nāma: a name
• nāma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (name)

• kṛtvā: having made
• kṛtvā: Kriya (क्रिया-पूर्वक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): having made

• ratī: Rati
• ratī: Karma (कर्म/नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ratī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (नामरूपेण), एकवचन (Rati)

• iti: as (named)
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative: as/namely)

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (तद्-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन (her)

Speaker

Brahma

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pashu

Shakti Dimension

Role: creative

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Kama (Kandarpa)
• Rati

FAQs

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

The verse frames desire (Kāma) as a cosmic function that is given a proper counterpart (Ratī) and a rightful place in creation—yet, from a Shaiva Siddhānta lens, such forces remain within the realm of pāśa (bondage) unless subordinated to devotion and the pursuit of Shiva, the Pati (Lord) who grants liberation.

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

By highlighting the emergence and ordering of worldly forces like Kāma and Ratī, the text indirectly points to why devotees seek refuge in Saguna Shiva (as Linga and Lord): Shiva is the regulator and transcendent ground beyond the push of desire, and Linga-worship steadies the mind toward that higher principle.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is sense-discipline supported by Shiva-upāsanā: japa of the Panchākṣarī (“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”) and simple Linga-pūjā with vibhūti (Tripuṇḍra) to purify desire and align it with dharma and bhakti.