Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 34

Narmadā-tīrtha-māhātmya — Bhṛgu-tīrtha to Sāgara-saṅgama

Pilgrimage Circuit, Gifts, Fasting, and Imperishable Merit

Devanagari script

तत्रोपवासं यः कृत्वा पश्येत विमलेश्वरम् / सप्तजन्मकृतं पापं हित्वा याति शिवालयम्

Transliteration

tatropavāsaṃ yaḥ kṛtvā paśyeta vimaleśvaram / saptajanmakṛtaṃ pāpaṃ hitvā yāti śivālayam

Translation

Whoever fasts there and beholds Vimalēśvara casts off the sins accumulated over seven births and goes to the abode of Śiva.

Word by Word

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

• उपवासम्: fasting, observance of a fast
• उपवासम्: कर्म (Karma/object of 'do')
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Kartā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक relative pronoun

• कृत्वा: having done
• कृत्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive), पूर्वक्रिया

• पश्येत: should see
• पश्येत: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; विध्यर्थे ('should see')

• विमल-ईश्वरम्: Vimaleśvara (the pure Lord)
• विमल-ईश्वरम्: कर्म (Karma/object of 'see')
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (विमलः ईश्वरः)

• सप्त-जन्म-कृतम्: done over seven births
• सप्त-जन्म-कृतम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa of पापम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (संख्या) + जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृ-धातु, क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) 'कृत'; समासः (सप्तसु जन्मसु कृतम्)

• पापम्: sin
• पापम्: कर्म (Karma/object of 'abandon')
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• हित्वा: having abandoned
• हित्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/absolutive), त्यक्त्वा-अर्थे (having abandoned)

• याति: goes
• याति: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• शिव-आलयम्: Śiva’s abode
• शिव-आलयम्: कर्म (Karma/destination)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (शिवस्य आलयः)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) narrating tīrtha-māhātmya in a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis tone

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Vimalēśvara
• Shiva (Śiva)
• Śivālaya / Śivaloka
• Upavāsa (fasting observance)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It emphasizes purification through vrata (upavāsa) and darśana of Īśvara; by removing accumulated pāpa, the mind becomes fit for higher realization of the Self—aligned with the Purāṇic view that grace and inner purity support ātma-jñāna.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights upavāsa as a disciplining observance (vrata) and darśana as a devotional-contemplative act; together they function as preparatory purification akin to Pāśupata-oriented sādhana where restraint and worship refine the practitioner.

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

With Lord Kūrma (a Viṣṇu form) praising the salvific power of Śiva’s darśana, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: devotion to Śiva is affirmed within a broader Vaiṣṇava narrative voice.