Shloka 20
Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany
अदृष्ट्वा तत्र गोविन्दं प्रणम्य शिरसा मुनिम् / आजगामोपमन्युं तं पुरीं द्वारवतीं पुनः
adṛṣṭvā tatra govindaṃ praṇamya śirasā munim / ājagāmopamanyuṃ taṃ purīṃ dvāravatīṃ punaḥ
Da er Govinda dort nicht sah, verneigte er sich mit gesenktem Haupt vor dem Muni; darauf kehrte Upamanyu wieder in die Stadt Dvāravatī zurück.
Sūta (narrator) recounting the episode to the sages (Naimiṣāraṇya frame)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
Indirectly: the inability to “see” Govinda outwardly points to the Purāṇic teaching that the Supreme is not merely an object of ordinary sight, but realized through inner discipline, devotion, and grace.
The verse foregrounds humility and reverence (praṇāma) as preparatory sādhana—an essential ethical-ritual foundation that supports deeper yogic pursuit (including the later Kurma Purana emphasis on Pāśupata-oriented discipline).
By centering devotion to Govinda while honoring a muni, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative tone: devotion to Viṣṇu is upheld alongside the authority of sages and the broader dhārmic framework that also accommodates Śaiva teachings elsewhere in the text.