Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 85

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

Devanagari script

प्रधानपुरुषेशाय व्योमरूपाय वेधसे / नमः शिवाय शान्ताय ब्रह्मणे लिङ्गमूर्तये

Transliteration

pradhānapuruṣeśāya vyomarūpāya vedhase / namaḥ śivāya śāntāya brahmaṇe liṅgamūrtaye

Translation

Hommage au Seigneur de Pradhāna (Nature primordiale) et de Puruṣa (Esprit), au Créateur dont la forme est vaste comme le ciel; hommage à Śiva, le Paisible, au Brahman manifesté sous la forme du Liṅga.

Word by Word

• प्रधान-पुरुष-ईशाय: to the Lord of Pradhāna and Puruṣa
• प्रधान-पुरुष-ईशाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; समासः षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—प्रधानस्य च पुरुषस्य च ईशः (द्वन्द्व-समुच्चयार्थः अन्तर्भूतः)

• व्योम-रूपाय: to the one whose form is the sky/space
• व्योम-रूपाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—व्योम्नः रूपम् यस्य

• वेधसे: to the creator/ordainer
• वेधसे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; वेधस् = विधाता/स्रष्टा (creator)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Prayojana/भाव (भावार्थक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात)

• शिवाय: to Śiva
• शिवाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• शान्ताय: to the peaceful one
• शान्ताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मणे: to Brahman
• ब्रह्मणे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• लिङ्ग-मूर्तये: to the liṅga-formed one
• लिङ्ग-मूर्तये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

Speaker

A narrator/sage reciting a Śaiva stotra within the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga (devotional praise affirming Śiva as Brahman)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Brahman
• Linga
• Pradhana
• Purusha

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme as Brahman who transcends yet governs both Pradhāna (prakṛti) and Puruṣa (consciousness), indicating an all-pervading absolute that can be approached devotionally as Śiva.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports space-like (vyoma-rūpa) contemplation—meditating on the all-pervasive Lord—and Liṅga-upāsanā, a Pāśupata-aligned devotional focus where the Liṅga is treated as a manifestation of Brahman.

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

By using Brahman-language and cosmic sovereignty (Lord of Pradhāna and Puruṣa), it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: the supreme reality praised as Śiva is the same ultimate principle that Vaiṣṇava theology also recognizes as the Highest.