Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 33

Madhu–Kaiṭabha, Nārāyaṇa’s Yoga-Nidrā, Rudra’s Manifestation, and the Aṣṭamūrti–Trimūrti Teaching

Devanagari script

कपर्दिनो निरातङ्कान् नीलकण्ठान् पिनाकिनः / त्रिशूलहस्तानृष्टिघ्नान् महानन्दांस्त्रिलोचनान्

Transliteration

kapardino nirātaṅkān nīlakaṇṭhān pinākinaḥ / triśūlahastānṛṣṭighnān mahānandāṃstrilocanān

Translation

J’adore ces Seigneurs aux cheveux nattés—sans crainte et exempts de toute affliction—à la gorge bleue, portant l’arc Pināka ; tenant le trident en main, destructeurs des forces ennemies, demeurant à jamais dans la grande béatitude, et pourvus de trois yeux.

Word by Word

• कपर्दिनः: wearing matted hair
• कपर्दिनः: Karma (कर्म/Object; of ‘created’ understood)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपर्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; ‘कपर्द’ (जटा/कपर्द) युक्ताः

• निरातङ्कान्: free from distress/fear
• निरातङ्कान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्+आतङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—नञ्/उपसर्गपूर्वक तत्पुरुषः (‘आतङ्कः नास्ति येषाम्’ = free from fear/affliction)

• नीलकण्ठान्: blue-throated
• नीलकण्ठान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील+कण्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘नीलः कण्ठः येषाम्’)

• पिनाकिनः: bearing the Pināka bow
• पिनाकिनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पिनाकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘पिनाक’ (धनुः) धारयन्तः

• त्रिशूलहस्तान्: having tridents in hand
• त्रिशूलहस्तान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिशूल+हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (‘त्रिशूलस्य हस्तः’/‘त्रिशूलं हस्ते येषाम्’)

• ऋष्टिघ्नान्: slayers with spears / spear-smiters
• ऋष्टिघ्नान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऋष्टि+घ्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘ऋष्ट्या घ्नन्ति’/‘ऋष्टिं घ्नन्ति’); घ्न = ‘slayer’

• महानन्दान्: greatly blissful
• महानन्दान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा+आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘महान् आनन्दः येषाम्’/‘महानन्दः’)

• त्रिलोचनान्: three-eyed
• त्रिलोचनान्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि+लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समासः—द्विगुः (‘त्रीणि लोचनानि येषाम्’)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) presenting Shaiva epithets in a synthetic Shaiva-Vaishnava praise

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva
• Pinaka
• Trishula

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By describing Rudra as “mahānanda” (great bliss) and “nirātaṅka” (untroubled), the verse points to the Supreme as untouched by fear and suffering—an indicator of the Self’s intrinsic freedom and bliss when realized.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse functions as a dhyāna-stotra: contemplating Śiva’s marks (nīlakaṇṭha, trilocana, triśūla, pināka) steadies attention and supports one-pointed devotion (bhakti) and inner recollection (smṛti), aligned with Pāśupata-oriented worship and mantra-based meditation in the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva framework.

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

With Vishnu (as Lord Kūrma) voicing Śiva’s praise, the Purana presents a harmonizing vision: devotion to Rudra is not opposed to Vishnu-bhakti but integrated as reverence to the one Ishvara expressed through complementary forms.