Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 78

Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany

Devanagari script

ततो विस्मयमापन्नौ भीतौ देवस्य शूलिनः / मायया मोहितौ तस्य ध्यायन्तौ विश्वमीश्वरम्

Transliteration

tato vismayamāpannau bhītau devasya śūlinaḥ / māyayā mohitau tasya dhyāyantau viśvamīśvaram

Translation

Entonces, sobrecogidos de asombro y temor, nosotros dos—servidores del Señor portador del tridente—fuimos confundidos por su māyā, y comenzamos a meditar en Īśvara, Señor del universo, que es él mismo el cosmos.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb

• vismayam: astonishment
• vismayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vismaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• āpannau: (the two) became/entered into
• āpannau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√pad (धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), Masculine, Nominative, Dual; 'having reached/entered'

• bhītau: afraid
• bhītau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhī (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), Masculine, Nominative, Dual; used adjectivally

• devasya: of the god
• devasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• śūlinaḥ: of the Trident-bearer (Śiva)
• śūlinaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūlin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive, Singular; apposition to 'devasya'

• māyayā: by (his) māyā/illusion
• māyayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• mohitau: deluded
• mohitau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: muh (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-प्रत्ययान्त), Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive, Singular

• dhyāyantau: meditating upon
• dhyāyantau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhyai (धातु)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त), Masculine, Nominative, Dual

• viśvam: the universe
• viśvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• īśvaram: the Lord
• īśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular; in apposition to 'viśvam' as object of meditation

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator relating the event within the Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava synthesis of the Kūrma Purāṇa)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Śūlin)
• Ishvara
• Maya

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents Īśvara as both transcendent Lord and immanent cosmos (viśvam īśvaram), implying a non-dual vision where the Supreme is realized as the very ground and form of the universe.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds dhyāna (contemplative meditation): even those shaken by fear and bewildered by māyā are drawn into one-pointed contemplation of Īśvara, aligning with Purāṇic yoga where devotion and insight converge in meditating on the cosmic Lord.

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

By invoking Śiva as Śūlin while directing meditation to viśvam īśvaram, it reflects the Kūrma Purāṇa’s synthesis: the Supreme Lord is approached through Śaiva idiom yet affirmed as the all-pervading Īśvara beyond sectarian division.