Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 41

Kali-yuga Doṣas, the Supremacy of Rudra as Refuge, and the Closure of the Manvantara Teaching

Devanagari script

तस्मादनीश्वरानन्यान् त्यक्त्वा देवं महेश्वरम् / समाश्रयेद् विरूपाक्षं यदीच्छेत् परमं पदम्

Transliteration

tasmādanīśvarānanyān tyaktvā devaṃ maheśvaram / samāśrayed virūpākṣaṃ yadīcchet paramaṃ padam

Translation

C’est pourquoi, délaissant tous les autres qui ne sont pas véritablement souverains, on doit prendre refuge entièrement en le dieu Mahēśvara, Virūpākṣa au vaste regard, si l’on désire la demeure suprême.

Word by Word

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतुः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात्-प्रयोगः; हेत्वर्थक/तस्मादर्थे अव्ययवत् (ablatival adverb: “therefore/from that”)

• an-īśvarān: non-lords
• an-īśvarān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: an (नञ्-उपसर्ग) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative); बहुवचन; नञ्-समासार्थक-निषेध (non-lords)

• anyān: other
• anyān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifies an-īśvarān: “other”)

• tyaktvā: having abandoned
• tyaktvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tyaj (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive); धातु: त्यज् (to abandon)

• devam: the god
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

• mahā-īśvaram: Mahā-īśvara (the Great Lord)
• mahā-īśvaram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (the great Lord)

• sam-āśrayet: should take refuge in
• sam-āśrayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-śri (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; धातु: श्रि (to take refuge) उपसर्ग: सम्+आ

• virūpākṣam: Virūpākṣa (Śiva)
• virūpākṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: virūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + akṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (one whose eyes are of unusual form; epithet of Śiva)

• yadi: if
• yadi: Vākyasaṃbandha (वाक्यसम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; शर्तार्थक (conditional particle: “if”)

• icchet: would desire
• icchet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष; एकवचन; धातु: इष् (to desire)

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies padam)

• padam: state/abode
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया; एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis tone

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maheshvara
• Virupaksha
• Shiva

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to the supreme goal (parama pada) as attained by exclusive refuge in the true Īśvara, implying that liberation is linked to realizing and aligning with the highest Lord rather than relying on limited powers.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes śaraṇāgati (complete refuge) and ekānta-bhakti (single-point devotion) as a core discipline—an inward turning of mind toward Īśvara that supports steadiness (dhāraṇā) and liberation-oriented practice.

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

By presenting Mahēśvara as the supreme refuge within a Purāṇic discourse often voiced by Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu), it reflects the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where the supreme Īśvara is affirmed beyond rivalry.