Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 76

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

Devanagari script

तस्मात् सर्वप्रयत्नेन वाराणस्यां वसेन्नरः / योगी वाप्यथवायोगी पापी वा पुण्यकृत्तमः

Transliteration

tasmāt sarvaprayatnena vārāṇasyāṃ vasennaraḥ / yogī vāpyathavāyogī pāpī vā puṇyakṛttamaḥ

Translation

Darum soll der Mensch mit allem Einsatz in Vārāṇasī wohnen — ob er ein Yogin ist oder kein Yogin, ob sündig oder der vorzüglichste Vollbringer verdienstvoller Taten.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-इति अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोगवत्; अपादानार्थे पञ्चमी (5th) एकवचन-रूपम्, हेत्वर्थक ‘therefore/from that’

• sarva-prayatnena: with every effort
• sarva-prayatnena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + prayatna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (‘with all effort’)

• vārāṇasyām: in Vārāṇasī
• vārāṇasyām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vārāṇasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• vaset: should dwell
• vaset: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vas (वस् धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; छन्दसि ‘वसेत्/वसेन्’

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• yogī: a yogin
• yogī: Vikalpa (विकल्प/Option)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa-sūcaka (विकल्पसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-कारक (particle: even/also)

• athavā: or else
• athavā: Vikalpa-sūcaka (विकल्पसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: athavā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (or else)

• a-yogī: a non-yogin
• a-yogī: Vikalpa (विकल्प/Option)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a- (नञ्) + yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग-निषेध (‘non-yogin’)

• pāpī: a sinner
• pāpī: Vikalpa (विकल्प/Option)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• vā: or
• vā: Vikalpa-sūcaka (विकल्पसूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vā (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• puṇya-kṛt-tamaḥ: the most virtuous (doer of merit)
• puṇya-kṛt-tamaḥ: Vikalpa (विकल्प/Option)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛt (कृदन्त; √kṛ धातु) + tama (तद्धित/प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘कृत्’ (कर्तरि कृदन्त) + तमप् (superlative) = ‘most-doer of merit’; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (पुण्यं करोति)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing about tirtha-mahatmya and dharmic means for purification

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Varanasi (Kashi)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it teaches that liberation-oriented purification is accessible to all dispositions; residence in a moksha-kshetra like Varanasi supports the inward turning toward the Atman beyond moral and social distinctions.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is prescribed; instead, the verse broadens eligibility—yogin or non-yogin—implying that kshetra-seva (living in a sacred place with dharmic conduct) can assist yoga by reducing karmic obstacles and supporting steady contemplation.

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

By presenting Varanasi—traditionally associated with Shiva—as a universally efficacious moksha-kshetra within a Vishnu-spoken Purana, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where Shaiva sacred geography is affirmed within Vaishnava revelation.