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Shloka 88

Kapālamocana: The Cutting of Brahmā’s Fifth Head, Śiva’s Kāpālika Vow, and Purification in Vārāṇasī

निहत्य विष्णुपुरुषं सार्धं प्रमथपुङ्गवैः / विवेश चान्तरगृहं समादाय कलेवरम्

nihatya viṣṇupuruṣaṃ sārdhaṃ pramathapuṅgavaiḥ / viveśa cāntaragṛhaṃ samādāya kalevaram

প্ৰমথসকলৰ শ্ৰেষ্ঠসকলৰ সৈতে সেই বিষ্ণু-পুৰুষক বধ কৰি, দেহটো লৈ তেওঁ অন্তৰ্গৃহত প্ৰৱেশ কৰিলে।

निहत्यhaving slain
निहत्य:
पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
TypeVerb
Rootनि + हन् (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); ‘having slain’
विष्णु-पुरुषम्Vishnu’s man/attendant
विष्णु-पुरुषम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object of निहत्य)
TypeNoun
Rootविष्णुपुरुष (प्रातिपदिक: विष्णु + पुरुष)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास: विष्णोः पुरुषः; पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन
सार्धम्together with
सार्धम्:
सहकारक (Sahakāraka/Accompaniment)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootसार्धम् (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; सहार्थक (with/together)
प्रमथ-पुङ्गवैःwith the foremost of the Pramathas
प्रमथ-पुङ्गवैः:
सहकारक (Sahakāraka/Accompaniment)
TypeNoun
Rootप्रमथपुङ्गव (प्रातिपदिक: प्रमथ + पुङ्गव)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास: प्रमथानां पुङ्गवाः; पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental); बहुवचन; सहार्थे (companions)
विवेशentered
विवेश:
क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
TypeVerb
Rootवि + विश् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person); एकवचन
and
:
सम्बन्ध (Connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
अन्तर-गृहम्the inner chamber
अन्तर-गृहम्:
कर्म (Karma/Goal-object)
TypeNoun
Rootअन्तरगृह (प्रातिपदिक: अन्तर + गृह)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास: अन्तः स्थितं गृहम्; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन; गत्यर्थकर्म (goal as object)
समादायhaving taken
समादाय:
पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
TypeVerb
Rootसम् + आ + दा (धातु)
Formक्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund); ‘having taken up/carrying’
कलेवरम्body
कलेवरम्:
कर्म (Karma/Object of समादाय)
TypeNoun
Rootकलेवर (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); एकवचन

Sūta (narrator) recounting events to the sages (Naimiṣāraṇya frame)

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

V
Viṣṇupuruṣa
P
Pramatha (Śiva-gaṇas)

FAQs

This verse is primarily narrative rather than doctrinal: it depicts a violent episode involving a “Viṣṇu-person” and Śiva’s Pramathas, serving as story-context within which the Purāṇa later teaches that the Supreme Reality transcends sectarian appearance and conflict.

No direct yogic technique is taught in this line; it functions as a plot moment. In the broader Kurma Purana, such narratives often frame later instruction on Pāśupata discipline—restraint, devotion, and inner purification—rather than focusing on this act itself as a practice.

On the surface it portrays confrontation involving Śiva’s Pramathas and a Viṣṇu-identified figure; in the Kurma Purana’s larger Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, such tensions are typically resolved by affirming a higher unity beyond competing forms.