Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Mādhayameśvara-māhātmya — Vyāsa at Mandākinī and the Pāśupata Vision

Devanagari script

तस्य ते बहवः शिष्या ब्रह्मचर्यपरायणाः / लब्ध्वा तद्वचनाज्ज्ञानं दृष्टवन्तो महेश्वरम्

Transliteration

tasya te bahavaḥ śiṣyā brahmacaryaparāyaṇāḥ / labdhvā tadvacanājjñānaṃ dṛṣṭavanto maheśvaram

Translation

وكان له تلاميذ كثيرون مواظبون على رياضة البراهماجاريا؛ فنالوا المعرفة من تعليمه، ولمّا تحقّق لهم الفهم عاينوا مهيشڤرا (شيفا) عيانًا.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• ते: they
• ते: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• बहवः: many
• बहवः: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'शिष्याः' इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शिष्याः: disciples
• शिष्याः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मचर्य-परायणाः: devoted to celibate discipline
• ब्रह्मचर्य-परायणाः: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मचर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: 'ब्रह्मचर्ये परायणाः'

• लब्ध्वा: having obtained
• लब्ध्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √लभ् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund), अव्ययभावः

• तत्-वचनात्: from his word/instruction
• तत्-वचनात्: अपादान (Apādāna/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः: 'तस्य वचनम्'

• ज्ञानम्: knowledge
• ज्ञानम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दृष्टवन्तः: having seen
• दृष्टवन्तः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Perfect participle active), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; 'having seen'

• महेश्वरम्: Maheshvara (Shiva)
• महेश्वरम्: कर्म (Karma/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration within the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Maheshvara (Shiva)
• Shishya (disciples)
• Guru-upadesha (instruction)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that realization is not merely conceptual: disciplined living (brahmacarya) and true knowledge received through a guru’s words culminate in direct “seeing” of Mahēśvara—i.e., experiential realization of the Supreme Lord as the inner reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights brahmacarya as a foundational yogic restraint (self-control, purity, regulated conduct) and guru-upadeśa as the means of right knowledge; together they mature into darśana (direct realization), a key aim across Pāśupata-oriented and broader Yoga-śāstra frameworks.

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

By presenting Mahēśvara as the direct object of realization attained through dharma and knowledge, the text supports the Kurma Purana’s synthesizing stance: devotion and discipline lead to the same supreme reality, expressed here in Śaiva language (Mahēśvara) within a Purāṇic tradition that also honors Viṣṇu/Kūrma.