Om Kāmadevāya vidmahe, rati-priyāya dhimahi, tan no anangaḥ pracodayāt.

This mantra is dedicated to Kāmadeva, the Hindu god of love. Let's break down the translation word by word and phrase by phrase to understand its deeper meaning:

• ॐ (Om): This is a sacred syllable in Hinduism and other Indian religions. It represents the ultimate reality, the divine, and is often used as a beginning for mantras and prayers. It doesn't have a direct English translation but signifies a connection to the divine.

• कामदेवाय (Kāmadevāya): This is the dative case of कामदेव (Kāmadeva), meaning "to Kāmadeva." Kāmadeva is the god of love, desire, and procreation. He is often depicted with a bow and arrows made of flowers.

• विद्महे (vidmahe): This is the first person plural subjunctive form of the verb विद् (vid), meaning "we meditate upon," "we contemplate," or "we know."

• रतिप्रियायै (rati-priyāya): This is the dative case of रतिप्रिया (rati-priyā), meaning "to the beloved of Rati." Rati is the consort of Kāmadeva, representing pleasure and desire. This phrase emphasizes Kāmadeva's connection to his beloved and the essence of love.

• धीमहि (dhīmahi): This is the first person plural subjunctive form of the verb धी (dhī), meaning "we meditate upon," "we contemplate," or "we think of." It's similar in function to vidmahe but adds a layer of focused contemplation.

• तन्नो (tan no): This is a combination of तत् (tat), meaning "that," and नो (no), meaning "to us." Together, it means "to us."

• अनंगः (anangaḥ): This is the nominative case of अनंग (ananga), another name for Kāmadeva, meaning "bodiless" or "without a body." This refers to the intangible nature of love and desire.

• प्रचोदयात् (pracodayāt): This is the third person singular subjunctive form of the verb प्रचोदय (pracoday), meaning "may he inspire," "may he stimulate," or "may he rouse."

Therefore, a complete and nuanced translation of the mantra could be:

"We meditate upon Kāmadeva, we contemplate the beloved of Rati; may the bodiless one inspire us."

Or, a more poetic and evocative translation might be:

"Oh, Kāmadeva, we contemplate your divine essence, your union with Rati, the embodiment of love; may the bodiless one, the very spirit of desire, awaken within us."

The mantra is a prayer seeking the blessings of Kāmadeva, not just for romantic love, but for the inspiration and energy associated with creativity, passion, and the pursuit of desires. The use of the subjunctive mood ("may he inspire") indicates a request for divine grace and guidance.