Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 78

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

Devanagari script

एवं हि भक्त्या देवेशमभिष्टूय स माधवः / पपात पादयोर्विप्रा देवदेव्योः स दण्डवत्

Transliteration

evaṃ hi bhaktyā deveśamabhiṣṭūya sa mādhavaḥ / papāta pādayorviprā devadevyoḥ sa daṇḍavat

Translation

وهكذا، بعد أن سبّح ماذافا بإخلاص ربَّ الآلهة—يا معشرَ البراهمة—خرَّ عند قدمي إلهِ الآلهة والإلهةِ الإلهية، ساجدًا سجودًا تامًّا كالعصا المستقيمة.

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), प्रकारवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of manner)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, निपात (particle), हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ (for indeed/for)

• भक्त्या: with devotion
• भक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन (Instrumental singular)

• देवेशम्: the Lord of the gods
• देवेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: देवानाम् ईशः (lord of the gods)

• अभिष्टूय: having praised
• अभिष्टूय: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi-√stu (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकाले कृत्य (having praised)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Pronoun, nominative singular)

• माधवः: Mādhava
• माधवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular), विशेष्य-नाम (proper name)

• पपात: fell down
• पपात: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pat (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• पादयोः: at the feet (of)
• पादयोः: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी/षष्ठी द्विवचन रूप (Locative/Genitive dual); अत्र अधिकरणार्थे (at the feet)

• विप्रः: the brāhmaṇa
• विप्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (Nominative singular); सः माधवः इति विशेषणभावेन (appositional)

• देवदेव्योः: of the god and the goddess
• देवदेव्योः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास: देवः च देवी च; षष्ठी विभक्ति, द्विवचन (Genitive dual)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन (repetition for emphasis)

• दण्डवत्: prostrate (like a staff)
• दण्डवत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: daṇḍavat (अव्यय/तद्धित)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): दण्ड इव (like a staff), प्रणाम-प्रकारवाचक

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator addressing the sages/brāhmaṇas)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Deveśa (Lord of the gods)
• Devadevyau (Divine God and Goddess)
• Mādhava
• Viprāḥ (brāhmaṇas)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By emphasizing total surrender at the feet of the Divine Lord and Goddess, the verse points to the Atman’s fulfillment through bhakti—ego is laid down (daṇḍavat) before Īśvara, aligning the individual self with the Supreme.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice implied is devotional discipline (bhakti-yoga) expressed through praise (stuti) and full prostration (daṇḍavat-praṇāma), a bodily and mental act of humility that supports concentration, purification, and surrender—values also compatible with Pāśupata-oriented devotion in the Kūrma tradition.

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

By honoring the ‘Divine Lord and Divine Goddess’ as a unified object of reverence, the verse reflects the Purāṇic synthesis where sectarian boundaries soften: devotion is directed to Īśvara in a form that can encompass Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava unity and the inseparability of the divine couple (Śiva-Śakti / Nārāyaṇa-Śrī).