Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 8

Rudrakoṭi, Madhuvana, Puṣpanagarī, and Kālañjara — Śveta’s Bhakti and the Subjugation of Kāla

Devanagari script

एतत् सदेशाध्युषितं तीर्थं पुण्यतमं शुभम् / दृष्ट्वा रुद्रं समभ्यर्च्य रुद्रसामीप्यमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

etat sadeśādhyuṣitaṃ tīrthaṃ puṇyatamaṃ śubham / dṛṣṭvā rudraṃ samabhyarcya rudrasāmīpyamāpnuyāt

Translation

This holy ford—dwelt in by the good and the virtuous—is most sacred and auspicious. Having beheld Rudra here and worshipped him with due reverence, one attains proximity to Rudra (Rudra-sāmīpya).

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशक-विशेषण (Neuter, Nom./Acc. singular; demonstrative)

• स-देश-अध्युषितम्: inhabited/occupied along with the region
• स-देश-अध्युषितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (उपसर्ग/सह) + देश (प्रातिपदिक) + अधि+वस् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom./Acc. singular)

• तीर्थम्: holy place / ford
• तीर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom./Acc. singular)

• पुण्यतमम्: most sacred
• पुण्यतमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तमप्-प्रत्यय (superlative) (Neuter, Nom./Acc. singular)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Nom./Acc. singular)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Accusative singular)

• सम्-अभ्यर्च्य: having duly worshipped
• सम्-अभ्यर्च्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + अभि + अर्च् (धातु) + त्वा/ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यप्/क्त्वा-समासान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); उपसर्गयुक्त (with prefixes sam-, abhi-)

• रुद्र-सामीप्यम्: nearness to Rudra
• रुद्र-सामीप्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + सामीप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Neuter, Accusative singular)

• आप्नुयात्: may attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ्-लकार (Optative); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (3rd person singular)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing (in Purana dialogue style) about tirtha-mahatmya and the fruit of Rudra-darshana and worship

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Tirtha

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames liberation in devotional-theistic terms—attaining “Rudra-sāmīpya” through darśana and worship—implying the Supreme is approachable as Īśvara and realized through sacred encounter and reverent practice.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tīrtha-sevā, Rudra-darśana, and proper arcanā (ritual worship). In Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Yogic ethos, these function as bhakti-sādhana that purifies the mind and supports higher yogic realization.

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

With Vishnu (as Kurma) praising Rudra’s worship and its salvific fruit, the text models Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: devotion to Rudra is affirmed within a Vaishnava narrative voice, pointing to a harmonized Purāṇic theology.