Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

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

Devanagari script

ज्ञात्वा कलियुगं घोरमधर्मबहुलं जनाः / कृत्तिवासं न मुञ्चन्ति कृतार्थास्ते न संशयः

Transliteration

jñātvā kaliyugaṃ ghoramadharmabahulaṃ janāḥ / kṛttivāsaṃ na muñcanti kṛtārthāste na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

لمّا علم الناسُ أنّ عصرَ كالي مُفزعٌ غزيرُ الأدهرما، لم يهجروا كِرْتِّيفاسا؛ ومن لزمَه فقد تمّت غايته—لا ريب في ذلك.

Word by Word

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund, क्त्वा); ‘having known’

• कलि-युगम्: the Kali age
• कलि-युगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (age of Kali)

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘कलियुगम्’

• अधर्म-बहुलम्: full of unrighteousness
• अधर्म-बहुलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (abounding in adharma) विशेषण of ‘कलियुगम्’

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कृत्ति-वासम्: Kṛttivāsa
• कृत्ति-वासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (name: Kṛttivāsa)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक (negation particle)

• मुञ्चन्ति: they abandon/leave
• मुञ्चन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• कृत-अर्थाः: fulfilled, successful
• कृत-अर्थाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु + क्त) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (whose purpose is accomplished) विशेषण of ‘जनाः’

• ते: they, those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘those (people)’

• न: no, not
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘(there is) doubt’ (elliptic अस्ति)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice) praising devotion to Śiva (Kṛttivāsa) as a sure refuge in Kali-yuga

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kṛttivāsa (Śiva)
• Kali-yuga
• Dharma/Adharma

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By declaring unwavering refuge in Kṛttivāsa as “kṛtārtha” (goal-fulfilled), the verse implies that in Kali-yuga liberation is effectively secured through single-pointed devotion to Īśvara—pointing to the Atman’s fulfillment through God-realization rather than mere external ritual.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice emphasized is steadiness (ananyatā/niṣṭhā): not “letting go” of the Lord. In Kurma Purana’s Śaiva-Pāśupata tone, this aligns with continuous remembrance (smaraṇa), mantra-japa, and disciplined conduct that preserves dharma amid Kali-yuga’s adharma.

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

Though naming Śiva as Kṛttivāsa, the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis treats devotion to Īśvara as a unified path: steadfast worship of the Lord—whether spoken as Śiva or Viṣṇu—functions as the same liberating refuge, especially in Kali-yuga.