Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 69

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मचारी मिताहारो भस्मनिष्ठः समाहितः / जपेदामरणाद् रुद्रं स याति परमं पदम्

Transliteration

brahmacārī mitāhāro bhasmaniṣṭhaḥ samāhitaḥ / japedāmaraṇād rudraṃ sa yāti paramaṃ padam

Translation

Der Brahmacārī—maßvoll in der Nahrung, im heiligen Aschezeichen (Bhasma) gegründet und innerlich gesammelt—soll den Namen/das Mantra Rudras bis zum Tod wiederholen; so gelangt er zum Höchsten Zustand.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मचारी: a celibate student; brahmacārin
• ब्रह्मचारी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मचर्यं चरति’ इति अर्थे नाम

• मिताहारः: one of measured diet
• मिताहारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मित + आहार (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (मितः आहारः यस्य/मितः आहारः)

• भस्मनिष्ठः: devoted to (or established in) sacred ash
• भस्मनिष्ठः: Karta-anvayi (कर्तृविशेषण/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भस्मन् + निष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (भस्मनि निष्ठा यस्य/भस्मनि निष्ठः)

• समाहितः: composed; concentrated
• समाहितः: Karta-anvayi (कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-धा (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्तः (past passive participle)

• जपेत्: should recite
• जपेत्: Vidhi (विधेय/Instruction)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• आ-मरणात्: until death
• आ-मरणात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/limit in time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आ + मरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय-प्रयोगः; ‘आ’ उपसर्गसदृशः अव्ययः + पञ्चमी (Ablative) एकवचन ‘मरणात्’; अर्थः ‘मरणपर्यन्तम्’

• रुद्रम्: Rudra (Śiva)
• रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• याति: goes; attains
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karma-anvayi (कर्मविशेषण/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘पदम्’ इति विशेषणम्

• पदम्: state; abode
• पदम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (Shaiva-oriented vrata/yoga teaching within a Vishnu framework)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva
• Bhasma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By presenting “paramaṁ padam” as the culmination of disciplined japa and inner collectedness, the verse points to liberation as a realized supreme state beyond ordinary identity—attained through sustained God-centered practice.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It prescribes a Shaiva sadhana with yogic supports: brahmacarya (continence), mitāhāra (regulated diet), samādhāna/samāhita-citta (concentration), bhasma-niṣṭhā (bhasma observance), and lifelong Rudra-japa as a continuous meditation.

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

Within the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, Vishnu as Lord Kurma authoritatively teaches Rudra-upasana, implying harmony and shared salvific potency—devotion to Rudra is affirmed within a Vaishnava narrative frame.