Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 106

Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany

Devanagari script

नमो वेदरहस्याय नीलकण्ठाय वै नमः / विभीषणाय शान्ताय स्थाणवे हेतवे नमः

Transliteration

namo vedarahasyāya nīlakaṇṭhāya vai namaḥ / vibhīṣaṇāya śāntāya sthāṇave hetave namaḥ

Translation

Ehrerbietung dem, der das geheime Wesen der Veden ist; wahrlich Ehrerbietung Nīlakaṇṭha. Ehrerbietung dem Ehrfurchtgebietenden, dem Friedvollen; Ehrerbietung Sthāṇu, dem Unwandelbaren, und der höchsten Ursache.

Word by Word

• namaḥ: salutation; homage
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), indeclinable interjection/particle used for salutation (नमस्कारार्थक)

• vedarahasyāya: to the secret of the Veda (i.e., to the one who is Vedic mystery)
• vedarahasyāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda + rahasya (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘veda-rahasya’ = ‘secret of the Veda’

• nīlakaṇṭhāya: to the Blue-throated (Śiva)
• nīlakaṇṭhāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nīla + kaṇṭha (प्रातिपदिके)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय) ‘nīla-kaṇṭha’ = ‘blue-throated’

• vai: indeed; surely
• vai: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle/emphatic (निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थक)

• namaḥ: homage
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), salutation particle (नमस्कारार्थक)

• vibhīṣaṇāya: to the Terrible/Awesome one
• vibhīṣaṇāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vibhīṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular

• śāntāya: to the peaceful one
• śāntāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; adjective qualifying implied deity

• sthāṇave: to Sthāṇu (the Immovable; Śiva)
• sthāṇave: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; form in -e (उकारान्त)

• hetave: to the cause
• hetave: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; form in -e (उकारान्त)

• namaḥ: homage
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), salutation particle (नमस्कारार्थक)

Speaker

A devotee/narrator within the Purāṇic discourse offering a stuti to Rudra (Śiva) as the supreme causal principle

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Nīlakaṇṭha
• Rudra
• Śiva
• Sthāṇu
• Hetu (First Cause)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling the Lord “the secret essence of the Vedas” and “the Cause,” the verse points to the Supreme Reality as the hidden inner purport behind scripture and as the immutable ground (Sthāṇu) from which all arises.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse models bhakti-yoga as mantra-like contemplation (japa of divine epithets): meditating on the Lord as peaceful (śānta) yet awe-inspiring (vibhīṣaṇa), and as the unchanging support (sthāṇu), stabilizes the mind for higher yogic absorption.

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

In the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology, praising Rudra as the Vedic essence and first cause aligns with the broader non-sectarian view that the Supreme is one, spoken of through forms such as Śiva and Viṣṇu, emphasizing unity over rivalry.