Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8
Divine Abodes on the Mountains — A Sacred Survey of Jambūdvīpa
Kailāsa to Siddha Realms
सितान्तशिखरे चापि पारिजातवनं शुभम् / तत्र शक्रस्य विपुलं भवनं रत्नमण्डितम् / स्फाटिकस्तम्भसंयुक्तं हेमगोपुरसंयुतम्
sitāntaśikhare cāpi pārijātavanaṃ śubham / tatra śakrasya vipulaṃ bhavanaṃ ratnamaṇḍitam / sphāṭikastambhasaṃyuktaṃ hemagopurasaṃyutam
Und auf dem Gipfel des Weißen Berges liegt der glückverheißende Hain des Pārijāta. Dort steht Śakras (Indras) weites Haus, mit Edelsteinen geschmückt—mit Kristallsäulen versehen und von goldenen Toren gekrönt.
Narrator (Purāṇic discourse tradition; typically Sūta recounting sages’ dialogue)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
This verse is descriptive rather than metaphysical: it portrays the splendor of Svarga and Indra’s jeweled dwelling, serving as a contrast to later teachings where liberation (mokṣa) surpasses even heavenly enjoyments.
No specific yoga practice is taught in this verse; it belongs to a cosmographical description. In the Kurma Purana’s broader arc, such depictions frame why yogic discipline and devotion aim beyond celestial pleasure toward enduring realization.
It does not explicitly address Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; it focuses on Śakra’s heavenly realm. The Kurma Purana’s synthesis appears more directly in its devotional and philosophical sections (notably the Upari-bhāga’s Ishvara Gītā).