Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 133

Īśvara-Gītā (continued): Twofold Yoga, Aṣṭāṅga Discipline, Pāśupata Meditation, and the Unity of Nārāyaṇa–Maheśvara

Devanagari script

शरण्यं शरणं रुद्रं प्रपन्नो ऽहं विशेषतः / भूतेशं गिरशं स्थाणुं देवदेवं त्रिशूलिनम्

Transliteration

śaraṇyaṃ śaraṇaṃ rudraṃ prapanno 'haṃ viśeṣataḥ / bhūteśaṃ giraśaṃ sthāṇuṃ devadevaṃ triśūlinam

Translation

لقد لجأتُ—على وجه الخصوص—إلى رودرا، ملجأَ من يلتمس الملجأ؛ وإلى بهوتيشا، ربّ الكائنات؛ وإلى جيريشا، ربّ الجبال؛ وإلى ستھانو، الثابت الذي لا يتزعزع؛ وإلى ديفاديفا، إله الآلهة؛ وإلى الربّ حامل الرمح الثلاثي.

Word by Word

• śaraṇyam: worthy of refuge / protector
• śaraṇyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaraṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् rudram

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; गत्यर्थे/आश्रयार्थे

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

• prapannaḥ: having taken refuge / surrendered
• prapannaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-pad (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle/कृत्), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि भावे—‘शरणं गतः’

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन

• viśeṣataḥ: especially
• viśeṣataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: viśeṣatas (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• bhūteśam: Lord of beings
• bhūteśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: bhūtānām īśaḥ

• giriśam: Lord of mountains
• giriśam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: giri (प्रातिपदिक) + īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: girīṇām īśaḥ

• sthāṇum: Sthāṇu (the immovable one)
• sthāṇum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• deva-devam: God of gods
• deva-devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: devānām devaḥ

• triśūlinam: the trident-bearer
• triśūlinam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: triśūlin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘त्रिशूल’ अस्य अस्ति इति (possessor sense)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) teaching in the Īśvara-gītā context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Bhutesha
• Girish(a)
• Sthanu
• Devadeva
• Trishulin

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By presenting Rudra as the ultimate “śaraṇya/śaraṇa” (protector and refuge), the verse points to the Supreme as the final ground of security beyond all transient supports—an Īśvara-centered (theistic) framing used in the Īśvara-gītā to orient the seeker toward the highest Reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (complete surrender) as a core spiritual discipline: fixing the mind on Īśvara through devotional remembrance of divine epithets (nāma-smaraṇa/stuti), which in the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-oriented teaching functions as a stabilizing practice leading toward inner steadiness and grace.

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

Within the Īśvara-gītā setting, Viṣṇu (as Lord Kūrma) extols Rudra as the supreme refuge, reflecting the Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: the highest Lord is praised through either form, emphasizing unity of Īśvara rather than sectarian separation.