Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Dakṣa-yajña-bhaṅgaḥ — Dadhīci’s Teaching and the Destruction of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

देवाश्च सर्वे भागार्थमागता वासवादयः / नापश्यन् देवमीशानमृते नारायणं हरिम्

Transliteration

devāśca sarve bhāgārthamāgatā vāsavādayaḥ / nāpaśyan devamīśānamṛte nārāyaṇaṃ harim

Translation

Tous les dieux—Indra et les autres—vinrent chercher la part qui leur revenait ; pourtant ils ne virent nul autre Souverain suprême, hormis Nārāyaṇa, Hari seul.

Word by Word

• devāḥ: gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine nominative plural (प्रथमा बहुवचन)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; conjunction (समुच्चय-निपात)

• sarve: all
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine nominative plural (प्रथमा बहुवचन), qualifying devāḥ

• bhāga-artham: for (their) share
• bhāga-artham: Prayojana (प्रयोजन/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhāga (प्रातिपदिक) + artha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘bhāgasya arthaḥ’ (for the sake of a share); Masculine/Neuter accusative singular used adverbially (द्वितीया-अर्थे)

• āgatāḥ: having come
• āgatāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√gam (गम्, धातु) + kta → āgata (कृदन्त)
• Form: Past participle (क्त) used predicatively; Masculine nominative plural (प्रथमा बहुवचन) agreeing with devāḥ

• vāsava-ādayaḥ: Indra and others
• vāsava-ādayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsava (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘vāsavaḥ ādiḥ yeṣām’ (beginning with Indra); Masculine nominative plural (प्रथमा बहुवचन), apposition to devāḥ

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• apaśyan: they saw
• apaśyan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश्, धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• devam: the god
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine accusative singular (द्वितीया एकवचन)

• īśānam: Īśāna (the Lord, Śiva)
• īśānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine accusative singular (द्वितीया एकवचन); apposition to devam

• ṛte: except/without
• ṛte: Apādāna/Varjana (अपादान/वर्जन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ṛte (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; preposition-like indeclinable meaning ‘except/without’ (वर्जनार्थक) governing accusative

• nārāyaṇam: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine accusative singular (द्वितीया एकवचन)

• harim: Hari (Viṣṇu)
• harim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hari (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine accusative singular (द्वितीया एकवचन); apposition to nārāyaṇam

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing the event; traditionally Sūta recounting to the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Indra (Vāsava)
• Narayana
• Hari

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By identifying only Nārāyaṇa/Hari as the true Īśāna (Supreme Ruler), the verse points to a single highest Reality behind all divine functions—suggesting that the ultimate Lord (and thus the ground of Self) is one, not many competing supremes.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is stated, but the verse establishes the meditative focus (ālambana) recommended across Kurma Purana’s yoga-oriented teaching: contemplation on the one Supreme Īśvara (here named Nārāyaṇa/Hari) as the highest object of devotion and realization.

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

Using the epithet Īśāna (often associated with Śiva) for the Supreme while explicitly naming Nārāyaṇa/Hari, the verse reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthetic approach—affirming one supreme Lordhood that transcends sectarian labels and can be expressed through shared divine titles.