Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

Durjaya, Urvaśī, and the Expiation at Vārāṇasī

Genealogy and Sin-Removal through Viśveśvara

Devanagari script

ओमित्युक्त्वा ययौ तूर्णं पुरीं परमशोभनाम् / गत्वा पतिव्रतां पत्नीं दृष्ट्वा बीतो ऽभवन्नृपः

Transliteration

omityuktvā yayau tūrṇaṃ purīṃ paramaśobhanām / gatvā pativratāṃ patnīṃ dṛṣṭvā bīto 'bhavannṛpaḥ

Translation

Ayant dit «Om», il partit en hâte vers la cité d’une splendeur incomparable. Parvenu là, voyant son épouse, ferme dans le dharma de la pativratā, le roi fut saisi de crainte.

Word by Word

• om: ‘Om’/yes
• om: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: om (अव्यय)
• Form: Interjection/assent particle (उद्गार/निपात)

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• uktvā: having said
• uktvā: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा) from √vac with past stem ukta; prior action

• yayau: went
• yayau: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √yā (या धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• tūrṇam: quickly
• tūrṇam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tūrṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial accusative used as indeclinable (क्रियाविशेषण-रूप)

• purīm: to the city
• purīm: Karma (कर्म/Goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• parama-śobhanām: most beautiful
• parama-śobhanām: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama + śobhanā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Karmadhāraya: 'supremely' + 'beautiful' qualifying purīm

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा)

• pati-vratām: devoted to her husband
• pati-vratām: Karma (कर्म/Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pati + vratā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: 'devoted to husband' qualifying patnīm

• patnīm: wife
• patnīm: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: patnī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा)

• bītaḥ: afraid
• bītaḥ: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bīta (प्रातिपदिक; √bhī/भी धातु, क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• abhavat: became/was
• abhavat: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (भू धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular

• nṛpaḥ: the king
• nṛpaḥ: Kartr̥ (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the episode within the Purva-bhāga narrative frame

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Om
• the King (nṛpa)
• pativratā wife
• the splendid city (purī)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: the utterance of “Om” signals alignment with the supreme Brahman/Īśvara, while the king’s fear upon seeing a pativrata underscores how dharma functions as a moral mirror—prompting self-examination before the higher truth symbolized by Om.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds mantra-orientation through “Om,” implying recollection of Īśvara (īśvara-smṛti) as a preparatory discipline; it also emphasizes ethical purity (dharma via pativrata-ideal) as the ground on which higher yogic practice (including later Pāśupata-oriented teachings in the Kurma Purana) becomes stable.

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

Not explicitly, yet it fits the Kurma Purana’s synthetic tone: “Om” functions as a shared sign of the one supreme reality revered in both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava streams, while dharma (here, pativrata) is upheld as universally authoritative beyond sectarian boundaries.