Shloka 23

Kapardeśvara at Piśācamocana — Liberation of a Piśāca and the Brahmapāra Hymn

Devanagari script

एकदा भगवान् देवो गोवृषेश्वरवाहनः / विश्वेश्वरो वाराणस्यां दृष्टः स्पृष्टे नमस्कृतः

Transliteration

ekadā bhagavān devo govṛṣeśvaravāhanaḥ / viśveśvaro vārāṇasyāṃ dṛṣṭaḥ spṛṣṭe namaskṛtaḥ

Translation

„Einst wurde in Vārāṇasī der erhabene Herr geschaut—der Gott, der den Stier reitet, der Herr des Stieres—Viśveśvara; nachdem ich Ihn erblickt, berührt und ehrfürchtig gegrüßt hatte, verneigte ich mich.“

Word by Word

• एकदा: once
• एकदा: Kāla (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ekadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: once)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying देवः/विश्वेश्वरः)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गोवृषेश्वरवाहनः: whose vehicle is the lord of bulls (Nandin)
• गोवृषेश्वरवाहनः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: go (प्रातिपदिक) + vṛṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + vāhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गोवृषेश्वरस्य वाहनः)

• विश्वेश्वरः: Lord of the universe
• विश्वेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विश्वस्य ईश्वरः)

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vārāṇasī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• दृष्टः: was seen
• दृष्टः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) < dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was seen’

• स्पृष्टः: was touched
• स्पृष्टः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: spṛṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक) < spṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त-कृdन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘was touched’

• नमस्कृतः: was saluted
• नमस्कृतः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक) + kṛta (प्रातिपदिक) < kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-कृदन्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (नमः कृतः = saluted)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (Vyāsa / Sūta-style narration within the Kurma Purana’s tīrtha-māhātmya context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Viśveśvara (Śiva)
• Vārāṇasī (Kāśī)
• Bull (Vṛṣa) as vāhana

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By presenting Viśveśvara as “Lord of the universe,” the verse points to a single all-pervading Īśvara whose presence can be directly encountered; the implied teaching is that the Supreme is not merely conceptual but realizable through sacred encounter (darśana) and reverent recognition.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes devotional discipline (bhakti-yoga) expressed as darśana (contemplative seeing), sparśa (sanctifying contact), and namaskāra (humble surrender). In Purāṇic yoga-language, these acts steady attention, purify emotion, and orient the practitioner toward Īśvara.

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

Though the subject is Viśveśvara (Śiva) with bull symbolism, the Kurma Purana’s broader frame often integrates Śaiva devotion within a Vaiṣṇava narration, reinforcing a non-sectarian vision where supreme lordship is shared in essence (Īśvara-tattva) even when names and forms differ.