Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 80

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

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मविष्णू ऊचतुः / अनादिमलसंसाररोगवैद्याय शंभवे / नमः शिवाय शान्ताय ब्रह्मणे लिङ्गमूर्तये

Transliteration

brahmaviṣṇū ūcatuḥ / anādimalasaṃsārarogavaidyāya śaṃbhave / namaḥ śivāya śāntāya brahmaṇe liṅgamūrtaye

Translation

Brahmā et Viṣṇu dirent : «Hommage à Śambhu, le médecin qui guérit la maladie du saṃsāra, souillée par l’impureté sans commencement. Hommage à Śiva, le Paisible ; au Brahman lui-même, dont la forme incarnée est le Liṅga.»

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ūcatuḥ: they two said
• ūcatuḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Dual, Parasmaipada

• anādi-mala-saṃsāra-roga-vaidyāya: to the healer of the disease of beginningless, tainted saṃsāra
• anādi-mala-saṃsāra-roga-vaidyāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: anādi (प्रातिपदिक) + mala (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsāra (प्रातिपदिक) + roga (प्रातिपदिक) + vaidya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Multi-member Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; 'to the physician of the disease of saṃsāra (stained beginninglessly)'

• śaṃbhave: to Śambhu
• śaṃbhave: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययवत्)
• Form: Namas used as indeclinable (नमः-प्रयोगः), exclamation of salutation; governs dative

• śivāya: to Śiva
• śivāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular

• śāntāya: to the peaceful one
• śāntāya: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śānta (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Dative, Singular; adjective qualifying 'śivāya'

• brahmaṇe: to Brahman
• brahmaṇe: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) or Masculine (contextually as Brahman), Dative, Singular

• liṅga-mūrtaye: to the Liṅga-formed one
• liṅga-mūrtaye: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान/चतुर्थी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) compound; Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Dative, Singular; 'to the one whose form is the liṅga'

Speaker

Brahma and Vishnu

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Vishnu
• Shiva (Shambhu)
• Brahman
• Linga

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies Śiva with “Brahman,” implying the Supreme Reality is one, peaceful, and absolute, while also approachable through a concrete sacred form (the Liṅga).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse frames liberation as healing from the “disease of saṃsāra,” pointing to contemplative devotion (bhakti) and inward pacification (śānti) as core disciplines—aligned with Pāśupata-oriented purification of beginningless mala.

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

Viṣṇu, together with Brahmā, offers reverence to Śiva as Brahman, reflecting the Purāṇa’s non-sectarian synthesis: the highest reality is one, named and worshipped as Śiva here without denying Viṣṇu’s divinity.