Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31
Jambūdvīpa Varṣas, Bhārata as Karmabhūmi, and the Sacred Hydro-Topography of Dharma
नर्मदा सुरसा शोण दशार्णा च महानदी / मन्दाकिनी चित्रकूटा तामसी च पिशाचिका
narmadā surasā śoṇa daśārṇā ca mahānadī / mandākinī citrakūṭā tāmasī ca piśācikā
نَرْمَدا، وسُرَسا، وشُوṇa، ودَشَارْṇa، والنهر العظيم مَهانَدي؛ ومَنْداكِني، ونهرُ تشِتْرَكوطا، وتامَسي، وبيشاتشيكا—هؤلاء أيضًا من الأنهار المقدّسة التي ينبغي تذكّرها.
Sūta (traditional Purāṇic narrator) recounting the tirtha/rivers list as taught in the Kurma Purana’s sacred geography section
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
This verse is primarily a tirtha-and-river enumeration; indirectly, it supports the Purāṇic idea that remembrance of sacred tirthas purifies the mind, making it fit for Self-knowledge (ātma-jñāna) taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.
The verse highlights tirtha-smaraṇa (contemplative remembrance of holy rivers) as a supportive purification practice; such śuddhi is treated in Purāṇic dharma as preparatory (sādhana-aṅga) for mantra-japa, dhyāna, and disciplined Yoga.
The verse does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; its tirtha focus aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis by treating sacred geography and purification as shared devotional ground for both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava worship.