Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 63

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

Devanagari script

अव्यक्तं लिङ्गमित्याहुरानन्दं ज्योतिरक्षरम् / वेदा महेस्वरं देवमाहुर्लिङ्गिनमव्ययम्

Transliteration

avyaktaṃ liṅgamityāhurānandaṃ jyotirakṣaram / vedā mahesvaraṃ devamāhurliṅginamavyayam

Translation

They declare the Liṅga to be unmanifest—imperishable light, of the nature of bliss. The Vedas proclaim God Maheśvara as the Liṅgin, the unchanging Lord who bears the Liṅga and yet transcends it.

Word by Word

• अव्यक्तम्: unmanifest
• अव्यक्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; लिङ्गम्-विशेषण

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्ति-निपात (quotative)

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• आनन्दम्: bliss
• आनन्दम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; लिङ्गम्-समनाधिकरण/विशेष्यभाव (as apposition)

• ज्योतिः: light
• ज्योतिः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (ज्योतिः = ज्योतिस्-शब्दः; acc. sg. form identical to nom. in usage)

• अक्षरम्: imperishable
• अक्षरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ज्योतिः-विशेषण

• वेदाः: the Vedas
• वेदाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• महेश्वरम्: Maheśvara
• महेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक: महा + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; महेश्वरम्-समनाधिकरण (apposition)

• आहुः: they call
• आहुः: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• लिङ्गिनम्: the possessor of the liṅga
• लिङ्गिनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्गिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अव्ययम्: unchanging
• अव्ययम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक; नञ्-पूर्वक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; लिङ्गिनम्-विशेषण

Speaker

Narratorial / Purāṇic teaching voice (instructional passage on the metaphysics of the Liṅga and Maheśvara)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vedas
• Maheshvara
• Linga

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to the Supreme as avyakta (unmanifest), akṣara (imperishable), and jyotis (self-luminous consciousness), implying a reality beyond form that is experienced as ānanda (bliss).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

While not giving a step-by-step technique, it supplies a meditation-object: contemplating the Liṅga as imperishable inner light (jyotis) and the Lord as immutable (avyaya), aligning with Pāśupata-style inward worship and Vedāntic contemplation.

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

By treating the Liṅga as the unmanifest Absolute and Maheśvara as the imperishable Lord indicated by it, the Purāṇa frames divinity in a non-sectarian, non-dual way—supporting the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava harmony.