Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

Vārāṇasī (Avimukta) Māhātmya and the Catalogue of Guhya-Tīrthas

Devanagari script

तेषु सर्वेषु तीर्थेषु स्नात्वाभ्यर्च्य पिनाकिनम् / उपोष्य तत्र तत्रासौ पाराशर्यो महामुनिः

Transliteration

teṣu sarveṣu tīrtheṣu snātvābhyarcya pinākinam / upoṣya tatra tatrāsau pārāśaryo mahāmuniḥ

Translation

Having bathed at all those sacred tīrthas and worshipped Pinākin—Śiva, bearer of the Pināka bow—the great sage Pārāśarya observed holy fasts in each and every place.

Word by Word

• तेषु: in those
• तेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुं/नपुं, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन; locative plural ‘in those’

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुं, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन; agrees with तीर्थेषु

• तीर्थेषु: at the sacred fords/pilgrimage places
• तीर्थेषु: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), बहुवचन

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial to main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having bathed’

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि+अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund), ‘having worshipped’

• पिनाकिनम्: Pinākin (Śiva, bearer of the bow Pināka)
• पिनाकिनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन; epithet of Śiva

• उपोष्य: having fasted
• उपोष्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+वस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund); उपोष्य = ‘having fasted’ (upavāsa)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• तत्र: there (at each place)
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, पुनरुक्त स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (‘here and there/at each place’)

• असौ: that (he)
• असौ: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• पाराशर्यः: Pārāśarya (Vyāsa)
• पाराशर्यः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाराशर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; patronymic ‘son/descendant of Parāśara’

• महामुनिः: the great sage
• महामुनिः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महामुनि (प्रातिपदिक: महा+मुनि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः ‘great sage’

Speaker

Narrator (Purana’s suta-style narration, describing Pārāśarya/Vyāsa’s observances)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Pinakin (Shiva)
• Pārāśarya (Vyāsa)
• Tīrtha

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification through tīrtha, worship, and fasting—outer disciplines that prepare the mind for inner realization of the Self by reducing impurity (mala) and distraction.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Austerity-based practice (tapas) through upavāsa (fasting) and devotional worship (abhyarcana) at tīrthas—supporting mental restraint, vow-observance (vrata), and steadiness conducive to yoga.

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

By presenting Śiva (Pinākin) as a central object of reverence within the Kurma Purana’s framework, it reflects the text’s integrative stance where devotion to Śiva harmonizes with the Purana’s broader Vaiṣṇava setting.