Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 51

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

Devanagari script

अथैतत् सर्वमखिलं दृष्ट्वा कर्म महामुनिः / मार्कण्डेयो हसन् कृष्णं बभाषे मधुरं वचः

Transliteration

athaitat sarvamakhilaṃ dṛṣṭvā karma mahāmuniḥ / mārkaṇḍeyo hasan kṛṣṇaṃ babhāṣe madhuraṃ vacaḥ

Translation

Alors, ayant contemplé en entier toute cette action, le grand sage Mārkaṇḍeya, souriant, s’adressa à Kṛṣṇa en paroles douces et suaves.

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/प्रसङ्ग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमसूचक/अनन्तरार्थक (indeclinable; then/now)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• akhilam: entire
• akhilam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive); पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having seen)

• karma: deed/act
• karma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• mahāmuniḥ: the great sage
• mahāmuniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (great + sage)

• mārkaṇḍeyaḥ: Mārkaṇḍeya
• mārkaṇḍeyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mārkaṇḍeya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम (proper noun)

• hasan: smiling/laughing
• hasan: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: has (धातु) + शतृ (शतृ-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकालिक कृदन्त (present active participle, शतृ); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि

• kṛṣṇam: to Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बोधन-विषय (object addressed)

• babhāṣe: spoke
• babhāṣe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhāṣ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• madhuram: sweet
• madhuram: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: madhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• vacaḥ: words/speech
• vacaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vacas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; (वचस्-शब्दः)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing the scene)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: hasya

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mārkaṇḍeya
• Kṛṣṇa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames a teaching moment where a realized ṛṣi responds after witnessing a significant karmic event—suggesting that true insight expresses itself as calm, clarity, and measured speech rather than agitation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is named in this verse; however, the sage’s composed, smiling response after observing action reflects yogic steadiness (samatva) and mastery over reactive emotion—an implied fruit of disciplined practice.

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

This verse does not explicitly mention Śiva; it supports the Kurma Purāṇa’s broader synthesis by portraying sacred dialogue and dharmic instruction around Viṣṇu/Kṛṣṇa, a narrative mode also used for Śaiva teachings elsewhere in the text.