Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

Genealogies of Yadus and Vṛṣṇis; Navaratha’s Refuge to Sarasvatī; Rise of Sāttvata Tradition; Prelude to Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Incarnation

Devanagari script

तस्य गानरतस्याथ भगवानम्बिकापतिः / कन्यारत्नं ददौ देवो दुर्लभं त्रिदशैरपि

Transliteration

tasya gānaratasyātha bhagavānambikāpatiḥ / kanyāratnaṃ dadau devo durlabhaṃ tridaśairapi

Translation

ثمّ إنّ الربّ المبارك، قرين أمبيكا، منحَ لمن كان مولعًا بالإنشاد المقدّس «جوهرةً بين العذارى»: عذراءَ إلهيّةً نادرةً حتى إنّ الآلهة الثلاثة والثلاثين يعسر عليهم نيلُها.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/his
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन (Singular), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग-प्रयोगानुसार (pronoun)

• गान-रतस्य: of (him) devoted to singing
• गान-रतस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गान (प्रातिपदिक) + रत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक, √रम् (धातु) क्त)
• Form: षष्ठी-एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष-समास (गाने रतः = गानरतः)

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्धसूचक (discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• अम्बिका-पतिः: husband of Ambikā (Śiva)
• अम्बिका-पतिः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अम्बिकायाः पतिः)

• कन्या-रत्नम्: a jewel-like maiden
• कन्या-रत्नम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कन्या (प्रातिपदिक) + रत्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; कर्मधारय (रत्नरूपा कन्या)

• ददौ: gave
• ददौ: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• देवः: the god
• देवः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘भगवान्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोजिशन

• दुर्लभम्: hard to obtain
• दुर्लभम्: कर्म-विशेषण (object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग; ‘कन्यारत्नम्’ इति विशेषण

• त्रिदशैः: by the thirty gods (devas)
• त्रिदशैः: करण (Instrumental/agentive comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिदश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• अपि: even
• अपि: सम्बन्धसूचक (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = even/also

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing Śiva’s boon within the Kurma Purana narrative frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Ambikāpati (Shiva)
• Ambikā (Pārvatī)
• Tridaśa (the Devas)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it presents the Lord as ‘Bhagavān’ who dispenses fruits of devotion, implying a conscious, sovereign reality that responds to sincere bhakti expressed through sacred song.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights bhakti-yoga through gāna (devotional hymn-singing) as a disciplined practice—channeling mind, speech, and emotion into one-pointed praise that becomes a means to divine grace.

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

Even when the Kurma Purana’s wider frame is Vaishnava (Kurma/Vishnu), this verse foregrounds Śiva (Ambikāpati) as the gracious bestower—reflecting the text’s synthesis where devotion to either form participates in one sacred order.