Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

Avimukta-Māhātmya — Vyāsa in Vārāṇasī and Śiva’s Secret Teaching of Liberation

Devanagari script

श्मसानमेतद् विख्यातमविमुक्तमिति श्रुतम् / कालो भूत्वा जगदिदं संहराम्यत्र सुन्दरि

Transliteration

śmasānametad vikhyātamavimuktamiti śrutam / kālo bhūtvā jagadidaṃ saṃharāmyatra sundari

Translation

هذا الموضع مشهورٌ بأنه أرضُ الحَرْق، ويُسمَع أنه يُدعى «أفيموكتا». هنا، أيتها الجميلة، إذ أصيرُ كالا—الزمنَ نفسَه—أسترجعُ هذا الكونَ كلَّه وأضمّه إلى ذاتي.

Word by Word

• श्मशानम्: cremation-ground
• श्मशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्मशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); विशेषण (demonstrative)

• विख्यातम्: well-known
• विख्यातम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-ख्यात (कृदन्त; √ख्या धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Past passive participle, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• अविमुक्तम्: Avimukta (not abandoned)
• अविमुक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-विमुक्त (कृदन्त; √मुच् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (PPP, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• श्रुतम्: is heard/has been heard
• श्रुतम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रुत (कृदन्त; √श्रु धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (PPP, Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular); भावे प्रयोगे ‘it is heard’

• कालः: Time (as personified)
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative, Singular)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु; √भू)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund), ‘having become’

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: इदं (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative, Singular); विशेषण (demonstrative)

• संहरामि: I withdraw/dissolve
• संहरामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-हृ (धातु; √हृ)
• Form: लट्-लकार (वर्तमान), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद (Present indicative, 1st person singular, Parasmaipada)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• सुन्दरि: O beautiful one
• सुन्दरि: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुन्दरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Feminine, Vocative, Singular)

Speaker

Shiva (as Kāla, Lord of Dissolution), addressing Devī/Pārvatī

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Devī (Pārvatī)
• Avimukta (Kāśī)
• Kāla (Time)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as the inner controller who can manifest as Kāla (Time) and reabsorb the cosmos—implying that all worlds ultimately dissolve into the one transcendent Lord beyond creation and destruction.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

While not prescribing a technique directly, the verse supports Pāśupata-style contemplation on impermanence (saṃhāra) and on Ishvara as Kāla—useful for vairāgya (dispassion) and single-pointed meditation on the Lord who transcends time.

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

By portraying the supreme function of dissolution through Shiva as Kāla, the Kurma Purana aligns with its broader synthesis where ultimate sovereignty belongs to the one Ishvara, expressed through Shaiva and Vaishnava forms rather than strict sectarian separation.