Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 81

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

Devanagari script

न तं विदाथ जनकं मोहितास्तस्य मायया / देवदेवं महादेवं भूतानामीश्वरं हरम्

Transliteration

na taṃ vidātha janakaṃ mohitāstasya māyayā / devadevaṃ mahādevaṃ bhūtānāmīśvaraṃ haram

Translation

Deluded by His māyā, you do not recognize that Progenitor—Hara—who is the God of gods, Mahādeva, the sovereign Lord of all beings.

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• vidātha: you (all) know
• vidātha: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vid (विद् धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), मध्यम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• janakam: the progenitor/father
• janakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mohitāḥ: deluded
• mohitāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muh (मुह् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (of implied ‘you’)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• māyayā: by (his) māyā/illusion
• māyayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• devadevam: God of gods
• devadevam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mahādevam: the Great God
• mahādevam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (महान् देवः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• bhūtānām: of beings
• bhūtānām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• īśvaram: the Lord
• īśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• haram: Hara (Śiva)
• haram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिवनाम

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages/seekers, affirming Mahadeva’s supreme Ishvara-status

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva
• Hara
• Ishvara
• Maya

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to the Supreme Lord as the hidden source-cause (janaka) whom beings fail to recognize due to māyā; realization requires piercing that delusion to know the true Lord behind appearances.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

While not naming a technique, the verse implies the Pāśupata-oriented discipline of overcoming māyā through discernment (viveka), devotion to Īśvara, and steady contemplation that removes delusion and reveals the Lord as the inner ruler.

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

In the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian theology, Vishnu (as Kurma) can proclaim Mahādeva as Īśvara, presenting Shiva and Vishnu as harmonized expressions of the one supreme divine reality worshipped through different names and forms.