Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 71

Viṣṇu at Upamanyu’s Āśrama: Pāśupata Tapas, Darśana of Śiva, and Boons from Devī

Devanagari script

नमो ऽस्तु ते त्र्यम्बकाय नमस्ते कृत्तिवाससे / नमो ऽम्बिकाधिपतये पशूनां पतये नमः

Transliteration

namo 'stu te tryambakāya namaste kṛttivāsase / namo 'mbikādhipataye paśūnāṃ pataye namaḥ

Translation

نَمَسْتِه لك يا تْرْيَمْبَكَ، يا ذا العيونِ الثلاث؛ نَمَسْتِه لك يا لابسَ الجلد (كْرِتْتِڤاسَ). نَمَسْتِه لسيّدِ أمبيكا؛ نَمَسْتِه لك يا باشوبتي، ربَّ جميعِ الكائنات.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• अस्तु: may it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; enclitic

• त्रि-अम्बकाय: to the three-eyed one
• त्रि-अम्बकाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + अम्बक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (त्रीणि अम्बकानि यस्य)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; enclitic

• कृत्ति-वाससे: to him whose garment is a hide
• कृत्ति-वाससे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कृत्तेः वासः/वासस्)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• अम्बिका-अधिपतये: to the lord of Ambikā
• अम्बिका-अधिपतये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक) + अधिपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अम्बिकायाः अधिपतिः)

• पशूनाम्: of beings/creatures
• पशूनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• पतये: to the lord
• पतये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

Speaker

A devotee/sage reciting a stotra within the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga narrative (praise directed to Shiva as Tryambaka and Pashupati)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Tryambaka
• Krittivasa
• Ambika (Parvati)
• Pashupati
• Pashu (bound beings)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By praising Shiva as Pashupati—the Lord of all beings (paśu)—the verse implies a single sovereign Ishvara who presides over embodied souls and their bondage, pointing to a supreme, governing reality beyond individual limitation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse functions as a devotional mantra (stotra-japa): repeated salutations cultivate one-pointedness (ekāgratā) and surrender to Ishvara—an orientation consistent with Pāśupata discipline where devotion, remembrance, and reverence to Pashupati support inner purification.

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

Within the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, such Shiva-praise is not sectarian rivalry but Ishvara-bhakti: honoring Shiva as supreme Lord aligns with the text’s broader non-contradictory theology where the one divine reality is revered through multiple forms, including Shiva and Vishnu.