Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

Dakṣa’s Progeny, Nṛsiṃha–Varāha Avatāras, and Andhaka’s Defeat

Hari–Hara–Śakti Synthesis

Devanagari script

तस्य देवादिदेवस्य विष्णोरमिततेजसः / न हानिमकरोदस्त्रं यथा देवस्य शूलिनः

Transliteration

tasya devādidevasya viṣṇoramitatejasaḥ / na hānimakarodastraṃ yathā devasya śūlinaḥ

Translation

Gegen Viṣṇu—den Gott der Götter, von unermesslichem Glanz—richtete das Geschoss keinen Schaden an, so wie es auch dem dreizacktragenden Herrn (Śiva) nichts anhaben konnte.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him/that
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• देव-आदि-देवस्य: of the god who is the first among gods
• देव-आदि-देवस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (determinative): देवेषु आदिः देवः = देव-आदि-देवः

• विष्णोः: of Viṣṇu
• विष्णोः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अमित-तेजसः: of (him) of immeasurable splendor
• अमित-तेजसः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमित (कृदन्त/विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter) ‘तेजस्’ आधार; षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: अमितं तेजः यस्य (as an epithet in genitive)

• न: not
• न: क्रियाविशेषण (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• हानिम्: harm, loss
• हानिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हानि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• अकरोत्: made, caused
• अकरोत्: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अस्त्रम्: weapon, missile
• अस्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन; अत्र द्वितीया (object of ‘अकरोत्’)

• यथा: as, just as
• यथा: सम्बन्ध (comparison marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमान/तुलना-अव्यय (comparative particle)

• देवस्य: of the god
• देवस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शूलिनः: of the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• शूलिनः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘शूलिन्’ = शूलधारी (trident-bearer)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic Sūta/compilers’ narrative voice describing the episode)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Shiva

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By portraying Viṣṇu as unharmed by any astra, the verse points to the Supreme as untouched by change and injury—an Upaniṣadic trait of the Self (Ātman/Brahman) as inviolable and beyond material causation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is prescribed in this verse; its implication supports Yoga-śāstra themes—steadiness in the Lord’s invincible reality (Īśvara-tattva) as an aid to dhyāna, where the yogin contemplates the Supreme as unaffected (asaṅga/akṣata).

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

It equates the ineffectiveness of weapons against Viṣṇu with the same truth about Śiva, signaling the Kurma Purāṇa’s non-sectarian synthesis: both are presented as sharing supreme, unassailable divinity.