Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 24

Tīrtha-māhātmya and Rudra’s Samanvaya Teaching

Maṅkaṇaka Episode

Devanagari script

दत्त्वात्र शिवभक्तानां किञ्चिच्छश्वन्महीं शुभाम् / सार्वभौमो भवेद् राजा मुमुक्षुर्मोक्षमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

dattvātra śivabhaktānāṃ kiñcicchaśvanmahīṃ śubhām / sārvabhaumo bhaved rājā mumukṣurmokṣamāpnuyāt

Translation

هنا، من قدّم لعبّاد شيفا ولو قطعةً يسيرة من أرضٍ مباركة عطيةً دائمة—صار الملكُ سيّدًا كونيًّا؛ ومن طلب الخلاص نال الموكشا.

Word by Word

• दत्त्वा: having given
• दत्त्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) → दत्त्वा (कृदन्त, त्वान्त)
• Form: त्वा-प्रत्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having given’

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• शिवभक्तानाम्: to Śiva’s devotees
• शिवभक्तानाम्: Sampradāna/Recipient (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव-भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘devotees of Śiva’

• किञ्चित्: a little
• किञ्चित्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किञ्चित् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘some, a little’

• शश्वत्: always, perpetually
• शश्वत्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शश्वत् (अव्यय/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नित्यत्ववाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: always/ever)

• महीम्: land, earth
• महीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शुभाम्: auspicious, good
• शुभाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘महीम्’

• सार्वभौमः: universal sovereign
• सार्वभौमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सार्वभौम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; predicate adjective

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• राजा: a king
• राजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मुमुक्षुः: a seeker of liberation
• मुमुक्षुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुमुक्षु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; desiderative-noun ‘one desiring liberation’

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आप्नुयात्: may attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (Kurma Purana discourse on dāna-dharma)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shiva-bhaktas
• Moksha

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames mokṣa as a real, attainable end for the mumukṣu, implying that liberation is the highest puruṣārtha beyond political power; the verse points to a dharmic act that purifies and supports realization of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is listed; instead, it emphasizes karma-yoga through dāna (especially to Śiva-bhaktas) as a purifier that supports the mokṣa-oriented life of a mumukṣu within the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva yoga framework.

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

With Viṣṇu (as Lord Kūrma) praising gifts to Śiva’s devotees as mokṣa-bearing, it reflects the Purāṇa’s non-sectarian synthesis: devotion and service to Śiva are upheld within a Vaiṣṇava narrator’s dharma teaching.