Shloka 71

Kapālamocana: The Cutting of Brahmā’s Fifth Head, Śiva’s Kāpālika Vow, and Purification in Vārāṇasī

Devanagari script

एवमाभाष्य कालाग्निं प्राह देवो महेश्वरः / अटस्व निखिलं लोकं भिक्षार्थो मन्नियोगतः

Transliteration

evamābhāṣya kālāgniṃ prāha devo maheśvaraḥ / aṭasva nikhilaṃ lokaṃ bhikṣārtho manniyogataḥ

Translation

Nachdem er so zu Kālāgni gesprochen hatte, sagte der Herr Maheśvara: „Auf meinen Befehl hin wandere durch die ganze Welt als Bettelmönch und erbitte Almosen.“

Word by Word

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb of manner)

• आभाष्य: having addressed
• आभाष्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā+bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (Gerund); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having spoken/addressed)

• कालाग्निम्: Kālāgni
• कालाग्निम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla+agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—'कालस्य अग्निः' (Kālāgni, a being)

• प्राह: said
• प्राह: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra+ah (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

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

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā+īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—'महान् ईश्वरः'

• अटस्व: wander
• अटस्व: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: aṭ (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• निखिलम्: entire
• निखिलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nikhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of लोकम्)

• लोकम्: world
• लोकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भिक्षार्थः: for alms
• भिक्षार्थः: Hetu/Prayojana (हेतु/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhikṣā+artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; चतुर्थी-तत्पुरुषः—'भिक्षायै अर्थः' (for alms); विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective of त्वम्/implicit subject)

• मत्: my
• मत्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-सम्बन्धे (genitive sense) अव्ययवत्-प्रयोगः; 'मम' अर्थे (of me)

• नियोगतः: by (my) command / due to instruction
• नियोगतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: niyoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अपादान (ablative: 'from/by reason of')

Speaker

Lord Maheśvara (Śiva)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Śiva
• Kālāgni
• Bhikṣā (alms)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme Lord as the sovereign commander whose will directs even powerful beings; the Self is implied as the ruling reality (īśvara-tattva) that governs action and destiny.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds ascetic discipline—wandering for alms (bhikṣācaryā)—a classical aid to vairāgya (dispassion), humility, and restraint, which supports Pāśupata-oriented purification and steadiness of mind.

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

While explicitly Shaiva in voice (Maheśvara commanding), the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis treats such lordship as consonant with the same supreme principle revered in Vaiṣṇava contexts—one Īśvara honored through multiple forms.