Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 58
Viṣṇu at Upamanyu’s Āśrama: Pāśupata Tapas, Darśana of Śiva, and Boons from Devī
गणेश्वरानर्कसहस्त्रकल्पान् नन्दीश्वरादीनमितप्रभावान् / त्रिलोकभर्तुः पुरतो ऽन्वपश्यत् कुमारमग्निपतिमं सशाखम्
gaṇeśvarānarkasahastrakalpān nandīśvarādīnamitaprabhāvān / trilokabhartuḥ purato 'nvapaśyat kumāramagnipatimaṃ saśākham
Dann erblickte er vor dem Herrn, der die drei Welten trägt, die Gaṇeśvaras, strahlend, als wären sie aus tausend Sonnen geformt, zusammen mit Nandīśvara und anderen Dienern von unermesslicher Macht; und er sah Kumāra (Skanda), den Heerführer der Götterschar, feurig leuchtend, mit seinem Gefolge.
Narrator (Purāṇic narration, traditionally Sūta relating the account to the sages)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: vira
FAQs
By portraying the “supporter of the three worlds” before whom even mighty divine hosts stand, the verse emphasizes a single sovereign principle presiding over cosmic order; the Atman is implied as that ultimate ground reflected in divine majesty and hierarchy.
The verse highlights darśana (sacred vision) as a fruit of devotion and disciplined inner focus—an experiential confirmation of the deity’s presence, aligning with Purāṇic yoga where concentration, purity, and bhakti culminate in theophany.
By placing Shiva’s Gaṇas and Skanda in the presence of the “Lord of the three worlds,” the verse supports the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: sectarian forms and retinues function within one overarching divine sovereignty, harmonizing Shaiva and Vaishnava frames.