Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 103

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

Devanagari script

एतल्लिङ्गस्य माहात्म्यं भाषितं ते मयानघ / एतद् बुध्यन्ति योगज्ञा न देवा न च दानवाः

Transliteration

etalliṅgasya māhātmyaṃ bhāṣitaṃ te mayānagha / etad budhyanti yogajñā na devā na ca dānavāḥ

Translation

Ô toi sans faute, je t’ai exposé la grandeur de ce Liṅga. Cette vérité est comprise par ceux qui sont versés dans le Yoga — non par les dieux, ni par les démons.

Word by Word

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• लिङ्गस्य: of the liṅga
• लिङ्गस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• माहात्म्यम्: greatness, glory
• माहात्म्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• भाषितम्: has been spoken
• भाषितम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भाष् (धातु) → भाषित (क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP) used predicatively; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• अनघ: O sinless one
• अनघ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनघ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th/Vocative), एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• बुध्यन्ति: understand
• बुध्यन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: बुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• योगज्ञाः: knowers of yoga
• योगज्ञाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (योगं जानन्ति)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negation particle)

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• न: nor
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• दानवाः: Dānavas (demons)
• दानवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing a royal/sage interlocutor within the Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Linga
• Devas
• Danavas
• Yoga-jna (Yogic adepts)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that ultimate truth is realized through yogic insight rather than status or power; even gods and demons may miss it, while disciplined yogins awaken to it—pointing to inner realization as the gateway to the highest reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds yoga-jñāna—realized yogic knowledge—suggesting practices of inner discipline (dhyāna, samādhi, and viveka) by which the Liṅga’s deeper meaning is directly known, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-oriented emphasis on experiential realization.

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

With Vishnu (as Kurma) expounding the Liṅga’s greatness, the text frames Shiva-tattva as fully authoritative within a Vaishnava narration—supporting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian, unity-of-Ishvara approach.