Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany

Devanagari script

प्रगृह्य काश्चिद् गोविन्दं करेण भवनं स्वकम् / प्रापयामासुर्लोकादिं मायया तस्य मोहिताः

Transliteration

pragṛhya kāścid govindaṃ kareṇa bhavanaṃ svakam / prāpayāmāsurlokādiṃ māyayā tasya mohitāḥ

Translation

Some, taking Govinda by the hand, led Him to their own dwelling; deluded by His māyā, they treated the Lord of the worlds as though He were one among them.

Word by Word

• pragṛhya: having taken hold of
• pragṛhya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + grah (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), ‘having seized/taken hold’

• kāścit: some (women)
• kāścit: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kim (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• govindam: Govinda
• govindam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: govinda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• kareṇa: with the hand
• kareṇa: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• bhavanam: to the house
• bhavanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhavana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• svakam: their own
• svakam: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with bhavanam

• prāpayāmāsuḥ: caused (him) to reach/brought
• prāpayāmāsuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + ā + pā (धातु)
• Form: Causative (णिच्) prāpaya-, Liṭ-lakāra (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• loka-ādim: the primal one of the worlds
• loka-ādim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘lokānām ādiḥ’; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); epithet of Govinda

• māyayā: by (his) illusion
• māyayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• mohitāḥ: deluded
• mohitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muh (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the episode to the sages (Naimiṣāraṇya frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Govinda
• Māyā
• Lokādi (Lord/Origin of the worlds)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling Govinda “lokādi” (origin/lord of the worlds) yet showing him treated as an ordinary person, the verse implies that the Supreme remains transcendent, while beings—through māyā—misrecognize that Reality as merely worldly.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to the need for yogic discernment (viveka) and mastery over delusion: one must steady the mind and see the Lord beyond appearances—an orientation consistent with Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-śāstra emphasis (including Pāśupata-oriented discipline and inner detachment).

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

Though Vishnu is named (Govinda), the teaching aligns with the Purana’s synthetic approach: the Supreme can be approached through different divine forms, and the key issue is overcoming māyā to recognize the one Lord beyond sectarian appearances.