Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 116

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

नमो वह्न्यर्कलिङ्गाय ज्ञानलिङ्गाय ते नमः / नमो भुजङ्गहाराय कर्णिकारप्रियाय च / किरीटिने कुण्डलिने कालकालाय ते नमः

Transliteration

namo vahnyarkaliṅgāya jñānaliṅgāya te namaḥ / namo bhujaṅgahārāya karṇikārapriyāya ca / kirīṭine kuṇḍaline kālakālāya te namaḥ

Translation

Salutations to You as the Liṅga of fire and sun; salutations to You as the Liṅga of spiritual knowledge. Salutations to the One who wears serpents as an ornament, and to the One dear to the karṇikāra blossoms. Salutations to the crowned Lord, the wearer of earrings—salutations to You, Kālakāla, the Death of Death, who transcends Time.

Word by Word

• namaḥ: salutation; homage
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), indeclinable interjection/particle used in salutation

• vahni-arka-liṅgāya: to (you who are) the fire-and-sun emblem
• vahni-arka-liṅgāya: Sampradana/Recipient (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक) + arka (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter? (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) / Masculine? (पुंलिङ्ग) — liṅga as head; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); samāsa: tatpuruṣa, ‘vahni-arka’ as qualifier of liṅga

• jñāna-liṅgāya: to the emblem of knowledge
• jñāna-liṅgāya: Sampradana/Recipient (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa compound

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana/Recipient (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम); Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• namaḥ: homage
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), salutation particle

• namaḥ: homage
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), salutation particle

• bhujaṅga-hārāya: to the wearer of a serpent-garland
• bhujaṅga-hārāya: Sampradana/Recipient (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhujaṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + hāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘bhujaṅgānāṃ hāraḥ’ (garland of serpents)

• karṇikāra-priyāya: to (you who are) fond of karṇikāra flowers
• karṇikāra-priyāya: Sampradana/Recipient (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: karṇikāra (प्रातिपदिक) + priya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग) agreeing with implied deity; Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘karṇikārasya priyaḥ’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चय)

• kirīṭine: to the crowned one
• kirīṭine: Sampradana/Recipient (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kirīṭin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); possessive nominal ‘one having a crown’

• kuṇḍaline: to the one with earrings
• kuṇḍaline: Sampradana/Recipient (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuṇḍalin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); ‘one wearing earrings/with coils’ (context: earrings)

• kāla-kālāya: to the destroyer of Time/Death
• kāla-kālāya: Sampradana/Recipient (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + kāla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग); Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘kālasya kālaḥ’ (the death/overlord of Death/Time)

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana/Recipient (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम); Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

• namaḥ: homage
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), salutation particle

Speaker

A devotee/narrative voice offering Śiva-stuti within the Kurma Purana’s discourse (Upari-bhaga context aligned with the Ishvara-centered teaching tone).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Linga
• Agni (Fire)
• Surya (Sun)
• Kala (Time/Death)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling Śiva the “Jñāna-liṅga,” the verse points to the Supreme as self-revealing consciousness and liberating knowledge, not merely a form—indicating the Atman/Iśvara as the ground of realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports liṅga-upāsanā as a contemplative practice: meditating on the Liṅga as fire/sun (inner luminosity) and as jñāna (discriminative wisdom), a Pāśupata-aligned focus that leads the mind beyond fear of death and time.

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

In the Kurma Purana’s integrative theology, such Śiva-stuti functions within a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa framework to affirm one Supreme Iśvara honored through multiple names and forms—supporting a non-sectarian, near non-dual devotional approach.