Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29

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

Devanagari script

नमो भवायामलयोगधाम्ने स्थाणुं प्रपद्ये गिरिशं पुराणम् / स्मरामि रुद्रं हृदये निविष्टं जाने महादेवमनेकरूपम्

Transliteration

namo bhavāyāmalayogadhāmne sthāṇuṃ prapadye giriśaṃ purāṇam / smarāmi rudraṃ hṛdaye niviṣṭaṃ jāne mahādevamanekarūpam

Translation

سلامٌ وخضوعٌ لِبهافا (Bhava)، المقامِ الطاهرِ لليوغا بلا دنس؛ ألوذُ بِسْثانو (Sthāṇu)، جِريشا (Girīśa) ربِّ الجبلِ القديم. أستحضرُ رودرا (Rudra) الجالسَ في القلب؛ وأعرفُ مهاديڤا (Mahādeva) أنه الواحدُ الذي يتجلّى في صورٍ لا تُحصى.

Word by Word

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya); नमस्कारार्थक-निपात (salutatory particle)

• bhavāya: to Bhava (Śiva)
• bhavāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन (Singular)

• amala-yoga-dhāmne: to the abode of stainless yoga
• amala-yoga-dhāmne: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: amala (प्रातिपदिक) + yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + dhāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): अमलस्य योगस्य धाम (abode of stainless yoga)

• sthāṇum: the Immovable One (Śiva)
• sthāṇum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• prapadye: I take refuge
• prapadye: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√pad (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); आत्मनेपद; उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; अर्थः—शरणं गच्छामि (I take refuge)

• giriśam: Giriśa (Lord of the mountain)
• giriśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri-īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—गिरेः ईशः (lord of the mountain)

• purāṇam: ancient
• purāṇam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective) गिरीशम्/स्थाणुम् प्रति

• smarāmi: I remember
• smarāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √smṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); परस्मैपद; उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• rudram: Rudra
• rudram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• hṛdaye: in the heart
• hṛdaye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hṛdaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• niviṣṭam: seated/entered
• niviṣṭam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ni√viś (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण—रुद्रम् प्रति; अर्थः—प्रविष्टम्/स्थितम् (entered, seated)

• jāne: I know
• jāne: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present); आत्मनेपद; उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• mahādevam: Mahādeva
• mahādevam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—महान् देवः (the great god)

• aneka-rūpam: of many forms
• aneka-rūpam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aneka (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—अनेकं रूपं यस्य/अनेक-रूपः; विशेषण—महादेवम् प्रति

Speaker

A devotee/narrative voice offering a Rudra-stuti within the Purva-bhaga (hymnic praise addressed to Shiva)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bhava
• Sthanu
• Girish
• Rudra
• Mahadeva
• Yoga

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By locating Rudra “seated in the heart” and calling Mahādeva “many-formed,” the verse points to the inner indwelling Lord who manifests through diverse names and forms while remaining one reality to be known directly.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes smaraṇa (continuous remembrance) and hṛdaya-antar-dhyāna (meditation on the Lord within the heart), framing Shiva as the pure seat of Yoga—an approach consistent with Pāśupata-style devotion allied with yogic interiorization.

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

Though explicitly a Shiva hymn, its yogic, inner-Ishvara language supports the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis: the Supreme is one, approached through sectarian forms (here Rudra/Mahādeva) as the same indwelling Lord known by yoga and devotion.