Shloka 2

Avimukta-Māhātmya — Vyāsa in Vārāṇasī and Śiva’s Secret Teaching of Liberation

Devanagari script

सूत उवाच प्राप्य वाराणसी दिव्यामुपस्पृश्य महामुनिः / पूजयामास जाह्नव्यां देवं विश्वेश्वरं शिवम्

Transliteration

sūta uvāca prāpya vārāṇasī divyāmupaspṛśya mahāmuniḥ / pūjayāmāsa jāhnavyāṃ devaṃ viśveśvaraṃ śivam

Translation

Sūta sprach: Nachdem der große Weise die strahlende Stadt Vārāṇasī erreicht und sich durch die Berührung des heiligen Wassers gereinigt hatte, verehrte er am Ufer der Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā) Śiva, Viśveśvara, den Herrn des Alls.

Word by Word

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्राप्य: having reached
• प्राप्य: Kriya (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra-āp (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal)

• वाराणसीम्: Vārāṇasī
• वाराणसीम्: Karma (कर्म/Object of ‘having reached’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vārāṇasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दिव्याम्: divine
• दिव्याम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण (qualifier) of वाराणसीम्

• उपस्पृश्य: having bathed/touched (ritually)
• उपस्पृश्य: Kriya (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa-spṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• महामुनिः: the great sage
• महामुनिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पूजयामास: worshipped
• पूजयामास: Kriya (क्रिया/Finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• जाह्नव्याम्: in the Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• जाह्नव्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jāhnavī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन (Singular)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• विश्वेश्वरम्: Viśveśvara (Lord of the universe)
• विश्वेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object, apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); देवम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण-नाम (appositional epithet)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object, apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); देवम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषण-नाम (appositional epithet)

Speaker

Sūta

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Sūta
• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)
• Jāhnavī (Gaṅgā)
• Śiva
• Viśveśvara

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly, it presents the Supreme as approachable through Īśvara-bhakti: the great sage seeks purification and then worships Viśveśvara, implying that realization of the highest is supported by reverent engagement with Īśvara in sacred space.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights preparatory discipline (śauca) through upaspṛśya—ritual purification by contact with sacred water—followed by pūjā. In the Purāṇic Yoga framework, such purity and devotion function as supportive limbs for steadiness of mind and God-centered contemplation.

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

By placing Śiva (Viśveśvara) at the center of a Kurma Purāṇa narrative voice, it reflects the text’s synthetic theology: devotion to Śiva is affirmed within a broader Purāṇic vision where sectarian boundaries are harmonized under Īśvara.