Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

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

Devanagari script

गन्धर्वकन्यका दिव्यास्तद्वदप्सरसां वराः / दृष्ट्वा चकमिरे कृष्णं स्त्रस्तवस्त्रविभूषणाः

Transliteration

gandharvakanyakā divyāstadvadapsarasāṃ varāḥ / dṛṣṭvā cakamire kṛṣṇaṃ strastavastravibhūṣaṇāḥ

Translation

Les filles divines des Gandharvas, et de même les Apsaras les plus nobles, en voyant Kṛṣṇa, furent saisies de désir, leurs vêtements et parures se dérangeant.

Word by Word

• गन्धर्वकन्यकाः: Gandharva maidens
• गन्धर्वकन्यकाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व + कन्यका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (गन्धर्वाणां कन्यकाः)

• दिव्याः: divine
• दिव्याः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (कन्यकानाम्)

• तद्वत्: likewise
• तद्वत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद्वत् (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (indeclinable: 'likewise, similarly')

• अप्सरसाम्: of the Apsarases
• अप्सरसाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्सरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वराः: the best (ones)
• वराः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; 'श्रेष्ठाः' अर्थे

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययभाव (gerund): 'having seen'

• चकमिरे: they desired, they fell for
• चकमिरे: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, आत्मनेपद; √कम् = 'to desire/love'

• कृष्णम्: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्त्रस्तवस्त्रविभूषणाः: whose garments and ornaments had slipped/disheveled
• स्त्रस्तवस्त्रविभूषणाः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्त्रस्त + वस्त्र + विभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास (स्त्रस्ते वस्त्रे विभूषणे च यस्य/येषाम्)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the Purāṇic narrative (contextual narration to the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Krishna (Vishnu)
• Gandharvas
• Apsarases

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly, it contrasts the Lord’s unchanging majesty with the mind’s susceptibility to desire: the celestial beings are stirred upon seeing Kṛṣṇa, while the Supreme remains the steady object of vision—hinting that attraction arises in the beholder, not as a limitation in the Atman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse functions as a cautionary scene supporting yoga-śāstra ideals of indriya-nigraha (sense-restraint) and vairāgya (dispassion): even refined celestial minds can be agitated, so a sādhaka should cultivate steadiness through discipline, devotion, and meditative recollection of the Lord beyond mere sensory fascination.

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

While Śiva is not named here, the Kurma Purana’s synthesis is served by portraying the Lord as the supreme, captivating reality whom yogins of both Shaiva and Vaishnava streams seek—urging transcendence of desire through devotion and yoga rather than sectarian separation.