Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 14

Narmadā-tīrtha-māhātmya — Bhṛgu-tīrtha to Sāgara-saṅgama

Pilgrimage Circuit, Gifts, Fasting, and Imperishable Merit

Devanagari script

ततो गच्छेत राजेन्द्र चन्द्रतीर्थमनुत्तमम् / पौर्णमास्यां विशेषेण स्नानं तत्र समाचरेत् / स्नातमात्रो नरस्तत्र चन्द्रलोके महीयते

Transliteration

tato gaccheta rājendra candratīrthamanuttamam / paurṇamāsyāṃ viśeṣeṇa snānaṃ tatra samācaret / snātamātro narastatra candraloke mahīyate

Translation

Danach, o Bester der Könige, soll man zur unvergleichlichen Candratīrtha gehen. Besonders am Vollmondtag soll man dort das heilige Bad ordnungsgemäß vollziehen. Schon durch das bloße Baden dort wird der Mensch in der Mondwelt (Candraloka) geehrt.

Word by Word

• ततः: thereafter
• ततः: कालाधिकरण (Temporal adverb)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, ‘thereafter’

• गच्छेत्: should go
• गच्छेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• राजेन्द्र: O king of kings
• राजेन्द्र: सम्बोधन (Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• चन्द्रतीर्थम्: the Candra-tīrtha
• चन्द्रतीर्थम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रतीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समास: चन्द्रस्य तीर्थम्

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् चन्द्रतीर्थम्

• पौर्णमास्याम्: on the full-moon day
• पौर्णमास्याम्: अधिकरण (Time-location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पौर्णमासी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; ‘on the full-moon day’

• विशेषेण: especially
• विशेषेण: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-एकवचनरूपेण क्रियाविशेषणवत् (instrumental used adverbially): ‘especially’

• स्नानम्: bathing
• स्नानम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्नान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, स्थानवाचक

• समाचरेत्: should perform
• समाचरेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-चर् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘should perform/practice’

• स्नातमात्रः: having merely bathed
• स्नातमात्रः: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्नातमात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् नरः; समास: स्नातः + मात्रः (just having bathed)

• नरः: a man
• नरः: कर्ता (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय, स्थानवाचक

• चन्द्रलोके: in the Moon-world
• चन्द्रलोके: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चन्द्रलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; समास: चन्द्रस्य लोकः

• महीयते: is honored
• महीयते: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि/भावे: ‘is honored’

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing a royal interlocutor in a tirtha-mahatmya context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Candratirtha
• Purnima
• Candraloka

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly define Ātman; it emphasizes karmic purification through tīrtha-snāna and the resulting post-mortem merit (Candraloka), a preparatory discipline that can support higher spiritual pursuit.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice highlighted is tīrtha-snāna performed with proper observance, especially on Paurṇimā. In the Kurma Purana’s broader dharma-yoga framework, such purificatory rites function as external śuddhi that can aid inner disciplines like japa, vrata, and yogic concentration.

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

This specific verse is primarily a tīrtha-phala statement and does not explicitly discuss Shiva–Vishnu unity; however, it fits the Purana’s integrative approach where Vishnu (as Kurma) teaches dharma practices that are also valued across Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions.