Shloka 25

Meru-Topography: Cities of Brahmā and the Dikpālas; Descent of Gaṅgā; Varṣa-Lotus and Boundary Mountains

Devanagari script

तस्याश्च पूर्वदिग्भागे शङ्करस्य महापुरी / नाम्ना यशोवती पुण्या सर्वेषां सुदुरासदा

Transliteration

tasyāśca pūrvadigbhāge śaṅkarasya mahāpurī / nāmnā yaśovatī puṇyā sarveṣāṃ sudurāsadā

Translation

وفي جهتها الشرقية تقوم مدينة عظيمة لِشَنْكَرَ (Śaṅkara)، حاضرةٌ مقدّسة تُدعى «يَشُوفَتِي»—طاهرة، وعسيرة المنال على الناس جميعًا.

Word by Word

• तस्याः: of that (city/region)
• तस्याः: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय/coordination particle)

• पूर्व-दिक्-भागे: in the eastern quarter
• पूर्व-दिक्-भागे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + दिक् (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (पूर्वायां दिशि भागः)

• शङ्करस्य: of Śaṅkara
• शङ्करस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• महा-पुरī: the great city
• महा-पुरī: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महती पुरी)

• नाम्ना: by name
• नाम्ना: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; करण/हेतु-भाव (instrumental: 'by name')

• यशोवती: Yaśovatī
• यशोवती: सम्बन्ध (Apposition/Name)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यशस् (प्रातिपदिक) + वत् (तद्धित) → यशोवत्/यशोवती
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नगर्याः नाम (proper name)

• पुण्या: holy
• पुण्या: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; महापुर्याः विशेषण

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन

• सु-दुरासदा: very difficult to approach
• सु-दुरासदा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दुरासद (प्रातिपदिक; दुर्+आ√सद्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष/उपसर्गयुक्त विशेषण (अत्यन्तं दुरासदा)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing tīrthas; traditionally Sūta/compilers within the Kurma Purana frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Shankara (Shiva)
• Yashovati (Mahapuri)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily tīrtha-geographical, not a direct Ātman teaching; indirectly, it implies that genuine spiritual attainment is “hard to reach,” echoing the Purāṇic view that inner purity and divine grace are required for higher realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is stated; the emphasis is on sacred space (kṣetra) associated with Śiva. In Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Yoga milieu, such kṣetras are approached through vrata, japa, śauca (purity), and disciplined worship—supports for Pāśupata-oriented sādhana.

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

While Viṣṇu is not named here, the Kurma Purana’s overall framework presents sacred geography as a shared dharmic map where Śiva’s cities function within a Viṣṇu-told Purāṇa—supporting the text’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis rather than sectarian separation.