Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

पूर्ववत् स्वप्रभावं च चक्रे मनसिजस्तदा । बहूपायं स हि मधुर्विविधां बुद्धिमावहन्

Transliteration

pūrvavat svaprabhāvaṃ ca cakre manasijastadā | bahūpāyaṃ sa hi madhurvividhāṃ buddhimāvahan

Translation

随后，摩那悉阇（伽摩）如同先前一般，再次显现其天赋之力。摩度则以甜美之计筹谋多端，生起种种劝诱的谋略。

Word by Word

• pūrvavat: as before
• pūrvavat: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrvavat (अव्यय)
• Form: तुल्य-प्रकारवाचक अव्यय (as before)

• sva-prabhāvam: his own power
• sva-prabhāvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य प्रभावः)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/and

• cakre: did, performed
• cakre: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• manasi-jaḥ: Mind-born (Kāma)
• manasi-jaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक) + ja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (मनसि जायते)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय

• bahu-upāyam: having many means
• bahu-upāyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक) + upāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (बहवः उपायाः यस्मिन्/बहूपायः) used adjectivally

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात/particle; indeed

• madhuḥ: Madhu
• madhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; proper name

• vividhām: various
• vividhām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vividha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies buddhim

• buddhim: plan, intellect
• buddhim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• āvahan: brought, devised
• āvahan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√vah (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; शतृ-प्रत्यय reading possible in some recensions, but here finite verb form taken

Speaker

Suta Goswami (narrating the Sati Khanda account to the sages)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pasha

Shiva Form: Rudra

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a shrine-origin; it describes Kāma’s reassertion of delusive potency (mohana-śakti) as an instrument of bondage.

Characters & Entities

• Kama (Manasija)

FAQs

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

The verse highlights kāma (desire) as a subtle force that repeatedly reasserts itself through pleasant, intelligent strategies—indicating why a seeker must cultivate vigilance, detachment, and Shiva-bhakti to remain steady on the path to liberation.

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

By showing how desire works through sweet persuasion, the text implicitly directs devotees toward stabilizing the mind in Saguna Shiva worship—such as Linga-pūjā—so that attention is anchored in Shiva rather than drawn outward by tempting mental movements.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

A practical takeaway is japa of the Panchakshara mantra (Om Namah Shivaya) with disciplined sense-restraint; this steadies the mind against kāma’s recurring tactics and supports purity during vrata and worship (especially Mahashivratri observances).