Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 7

Mādhayameśvara-māhātmya — Vyāsa at Mandākinī and the Pāśupata Vision

Devanagari script

ओङ्कारासक्तमनसो वेदाध्ययनतत्पराः / जटिला मुण्डिताश्चापि शुक्लयज्ञोपवीतिनः

Transliteration

oṅkārāsaktamanaso vedādhyayanatatparāḥ / jaṭilā muṇḍitāścāpi śuklayajñopavītinaḥ

Translation

كانت عقولهم متعلّقة بمقطع «أوم»؛ مخلصين لتلاوة الفيدا ودراستها. فمنهم من يترك خُصَل الجَطا، ومنهم من يحلق رأسه، وهم يحملون الخيط المقدّس (يَجْنْيَوْبَفِيتا) وشعائرهم البيضاء الطاهرة.

Word by Word

• ओङ्कार-आसक्त-मनसः: whose minds are attached to Oṃ
• ओङ्कार-आसक्त-मनसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ओङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + आसक्त (कृदन्त, √सञ्ज्/सज्) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘येषां मनः ओङ्कारे आसक्तम्’ (whose minds are attached to Oṃ)

• वेद-अध्ययन-तत्पराः: devoted to studying the Vedas
• वेद-अध्ययन-तत्पराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + अध्ययन (प्रातिपदिक) + तत्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः/उपपद-समासः—‘वेदाध्ययने तत्पराः’ (intent on Veda-study)

• जटिलाः: matted-haired
• जटिलाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जटिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• मुण्डिताः: shaven-headed
• मुण्डिताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुण्डित (कृदन्त, भूतकृदन्त/PPP; √मुण्ड्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; भूतकृदन्तः (क्त)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• शुक्ल-यज्ञोपवीतिनः: wearing white sacred threads
• शुक्ल-यज्ञोपवीतिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुक्ल (प्रातिपदिक) + यज्ञोपवीतिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘शुक्लं यज्ञोपवीतं येषां ते’ (wearing white sacred thread)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice, within a sage-to-sage transmission describing religious communities/ascetics)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Omkara
• Veda
• Yajñopavīta

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By stressing absorption in Oṁ (oṅkāra), the verse points to a contemplative focus on the primordial sound-symbol of Brahman/Īśvara—an inward orientation beyond mere external appearance.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Oṁ-focused mental absorption (oṅkāra-dhyāna) coupled with disciplined Vedic study/recitation is implied—an integration of mantra-yoga and śāstra-adhyayana as a purifying sādhana.

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

Indirectly: it presents a shared orthodox ascetic-ritual culture (Oṁ, Veda, purity marks) that both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava streams accept, fitting the Kurma Purana’s synthesizing spirit even when specific deities are not named.