Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Oṅkāra-Liṅga and the Secret Pañcāyatana Liṅgas of Kāśī: Kṛttivāseśvara-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

मत्स्योदर्यास्तटे पुण्यं स्थानं गुह्यतमं शुभम् / गोचर्ममात्रं विप्रेन्द्रा ओङ्कारेश्वरमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

matsyodaryāstaṭe puṇyaṃ sthānaṃ guhyatamaṃ śubham / gocarmamātraṃ viprendrā oṅkāreśvaramuttamam

Translation

على ضفة نهر ماتسيودَرِي يوجد موضعٌ مقدّسٌ عظيمُ البركة، بالغُ السِّرّ، شديدُ اليُمن. يا أفضلَ البراهمة، وإن كان لا يزيد على مقدار جلد بقرة، فهو المعبد الأسمى لأونكارِيشڤارا.

Word by Word

• मत्स्योदर्याः: of Matsyodarī (river)
• मत्स्योदर्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्योदरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन (singular)

• तटे: on the bank
• तटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन (singular)

• पुण्यम्: holy
• पुण्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); स्थानम् इति विशेषणम्

• स्थानम्: place
• स्थानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• गुह्यतमम्: most secret
• गुह्यतमम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); तमप्-प्रत्यय (superlative)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• गो-चर्म-मात्रम्: measuring only a cowhide (in extent)
• गो-चर्म-मात्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (determinative: 'only as much as a cowhide')

• विप्र-इन्द्राः: O best of Brahmins
• विप्र-इन्द्राः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (vocative), बहुवचन (plural); तत्पुरुषः (determinative: 'chief of Brahmins')

• ओङ्कार-ईश्वरम्: Oṅkāreśvara (a Śiva-liṅga)
• ओङ्कार-ईश्वरम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (determinative: 'Lord named Oṅkāra')

• उत्तमम्: supreme, excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); ईश्वरम् इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages/brāhmaṇas in a tīrtha-mahātmya context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Matsyodarī (river)
• Oṅkāreśvara (Shiva)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it points to the Purāṇic principle that the Infinite can be approached through a finite locus—an outward tīrtha that supports inward recollection of the supreme reality, here honored as Oṅkāreśvara.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tīrtha-sevā as an auxiliary discipline: pilgrimage, reverent dwelling at a sanctified spot, and japa/meditation on Oṁ (implied by “Oṅkāra”) as a focused practice aligned with Śaiva devotion within the Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-ethos.

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

Vishnu (as Lord Kūrma) praises a supreme Śiva-linga site, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where devotion to Śiva is affirmed within a Vaiṣṇava narrative voice.