Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 65

Sūrya-vaṃśa Genealogy and the Supremacy of Tapas: Gāyatrī-Japa, Rudra-Darśana, and Śatarudrīya Upadeśa

Devanagari script

नमस्ते नीलकण्ठाय भास्वते परमेष्ठिने / त्रयीमयाय रुद्राय कालरूपाय हेतवे

Transliteration

namaste nīlakaṇṭhāya bhāsvate parameṣṭhine / trayīmayāya rudrāya kālarūpāya hetave

Translation

Ehrerbietung Dir, o Nīlakaṇṭha, dem Strahlenden, dem höchsten Herrn; Ehrerbietung Rudra, der die Gestalt der drei Veden ist; Ehrerbietung dem ursächlichen Prinzip, das die Form der Zeit annimmt.

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Karma (कर्म; अभिवादन-वस्तु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; अव्ययीभाववत् प्रयोगः ‘salutation’

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूपम् (enclitic) ‘to you/your’; अत्र चतुर्थी (सम्प्रदान) अर्थः

• नीलकण्ठाय: to the Blue-throated one
• नीलकण्ठाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील + कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘नीलः कण्ठः यस्य/नीलकण्ठः’ (epithet)

• भास्वते: to the radiant one
• भास्वते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भास्वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; ‘radiant’ (as epithet)

• परमेष्ठिने: to the supreme ruler
• परमेष्ठिने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; ‘supreme lord/most exalted’

• त्रयीमयाय: to him who is made of the three Vedas
• त्रयीमयाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रयी + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—त्रयीमयः ‘consisting of the three Vedas’

• रुद्राय: to Rudra
• रुद्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन

• कालरूपाय: to the one whose form is Time
• कालरूपाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘having the form of Time’

• हेतवे: to the cause
• हेतवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हेतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन

Speaker

A devotee/sage offering a stotra to Lord Rudra (Śiva) within the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga narrative frame

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva
• Nīlakaṇṭha
• Trayī (Three Vedas)
• Kāla (Time)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By praising Rudra as parameṣṭhin (the highest ruler) and hetu (the ultimate cause), the verse points to a single supreme reality that governs and originates the cosmos—an Ishvara who can be contemplated as the innermost ground of being.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports īśvara-smaraṇa (remembrance of the Lord) through mantra-like salutation, directing meditation to three contemplative anchors used in Purāṇic Yoga: divine radiance (bhāsvat), Vedic essence (trayīmaya), and Time as the all-consuming cosmic principle (kālarūpa).

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

In the Kurma Purana’s synthesizing theology, the supreme is addressed through Śiva-epithets (Nīlakaṇṭha, Rudra) while remaining consistent with a Purāṇic non-sectarian vision where the one Ishvara is praised in multiple forms—supporting Shaiva–Vaishnava unity rather than rivalry.