Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Bāṇa’s Śiva-bhakti and the Genealogy of Kaśyapa’s Descendants

Manvantara Lineages

Devanagari script

दह्यमाने पुरे तस्मिन् बाणो रुद्रं त्रिशूलिनम् / ययौ शरणमीशानं गोपतिं नीललोहितम्

Transliteration

dahyamāne pure tasmin bāṇo rudraṃ triśūlinam / yayau śaraṇamīśānaṃ gopatiṃ nīlalohitam

Translation

Tandis que cette cité était dévorée par les flammes, Bāṇa alla chercher refuge auprès de Rudra — Īśāna, le Seigneur au trident, Gopati, protecteur des êtres, le Nīlalohita aux teintes bleue et rouge.

Word by Word

• दह्यमाने: while (it was) being burnt
• दह्यमाने: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दह् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present passive participle), Locative Singular (सप्तमी एकवचन), नपुंसकलिङ्गे/स्त्रीलिङ्गे सन्दर्भानुसार; 'being burnt'

• पुरे: in the city
• पुरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन

• तस्मिन्: in that
• तस्मिन्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to पुरे)

• बाणः: Bāṇa
• बाणः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बाण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• त्रिशूलिनम्: the trident-bearer
• त्रिशूलिनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रिशूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to रुद्रम्)

• ययौ: went
• ययौ: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्षभूत), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• शरणम्: for refuge
• शरणम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; गत्यर्थक्रियायां गन्तव्य/आश्रय-भावः

• ईशानम्: Īśāna
• ईशानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; refuge-person)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; शरणम् इत्यस्य आश्रयः

• गोपतिम्: lord of the cows
• गोपतिम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गोपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (गोः पतिः)

• नीललोहितम्: blue-and-red (complexioned)
• नीललोहितम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील + लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (नीलश्च लोहितश्च/नीलवर्ण-लोहितवर्णः) विशेषणम् (to ईशानम्/रुद्रम्)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (Sūta/compilers’ narrative voice) describing the episode

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Bāṇa (Bāṇāsura)
• Rudra
• Īśāna
• Triśūlin (Trident-bearer Śiva)
• Gopati
• Nīlalohita

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly, it frames the Supreme as the reliable refuge in crisis: the Lord (Īśāna/Rudra) is approached as the transcendent protector, implying a higher, sovereign reality beyond the perishing city and fear-bound ego.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (surrender/taking refuge), a core devotional discipline aligned with Pāśupata and broader Yoga ethics—turning the mind from external supports to the Lord as the final shelter.

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

Though it names Rudra as the refuge, the Kurma Purana’s wider synthesis treats supreme refuge as one Reality approached through different divine forms—supporting a non-sectarian, unity-oriented Shaiva-Vaishnava reading.