Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

Virocana–Bali, Aditi’s Tapas, and the Vāmana–Trivikrama Episode

Devanagari script

निशम्य तस्य वचनं चिरं ध्यात्वा महासुरः / नमस्कृत्य हृषीकेशमिदं वचनमब्रवीत्

Transliteration

niśamya tasya vacanaṃ ciraṃ dhyātvā mahāsuraḥ / namaskṛtya hṛṣīkeśamidaṃ vacanamabravīt

Translation

فلما سمع كلامه، تأمّل الأسورا العظيم طويلاً؛ ثم انحنى ساجدًا لهريشيكيشا، ربِّ الحواس، وقال هذه الكلمات.

Word by Word

• niśamya: having heard
• niśamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni-śam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from √śam 'to hear' with prefix ni-; 'having heard'

• tasya: his
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; 'of him/of that'

• vacanam: speech/words
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ciram: for a long time
• ciram: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: cira (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्)
• Form: Adverb (काल/परिमाणवाचक-अव्यय)

• dhyātvā: having pondered
• dhyātvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhyai (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from √dhyai; 'having reflected/meditated'

• mahā-asuraḥ: the great Asura
• mahā-asuraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + asura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; कर्मधारय: 'mahān asuraḥ'

• namaskṛtya: having saluted
• namaskṛtya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: namas-kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from √kṛ with indeclinable preverb-like 'namas'; 'having saluted'

• hṛṣīkeśam: Hṛṣīkeśa (Viṣṇu)
• hṛṣīkeśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛṣīkeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; object of namaskṛtya

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative qualifying vacanam

• vacanam: statement
• vacanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• abravīt: spoke
• abravīt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada; 'said/spoke'

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing the Mahāsura’s response before he speaks)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Hṛṣīkeśa (Vishnu)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

Indirectly, it points to the Supreme as Hṛṣīkeśa—Master of the senses—implying a transcendent ruler beyond sensory impulses, approached through reflection and reverence.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It foregrounds a classical spiritual sequence: śravaṇa (listening), manana/dhyāna (deep reflection/meditation), and namaskāra (humble surrender), which aligns with Purāṇic Yoga as inner restraint and devotional discipline.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

While Shiva is not named here, the verse models the Kurma Purana’s synthetic approach: genuine spiritual authority is recognized through humility and contemplation—values shared across Shaiva and Vaishnava paths in this Purāṇa.