Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35

Avimukta-Māhātmya — Vyāsa in Vārāṇasī and Śiva’s Secret Teaching of Liberation

Devanagari script

मोक्षं सुदुर्लभं मत्वा संसारं चातिभीषणम् / अश्मना चरणौ हत्वा वाराणस्यां वसेन्नरः

Transliteration

mokṣaṃ sudurlabhaṃ matvā saṃsāraṃ cātibhīṣaṇam / aśmanā caraṇau hatvā vārāṇasyāṃ vasennaraḥ

Translation

Sachant que la délivrance (mokṣa) est très difficile à obtenir et que le saṃsāra est terrifiant, l’homme doit demeurer à Vārāṇasī, fût-ce en se contraignant lui-même, comme s’il frappait ses propres pieds d’une pierre, afin d’y rester.

Word by Word

• मोक्षम्: liberation
• मोक्षम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सुदुर्लभम्: very hard to obtain
• सुदुर्लभम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies 'mokṣam'); उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषण

• मत्वा: having considered
• मत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु) → मत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having considered)

• संसारम्: worldly existence
• संसारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• अतिभीषणम्: extremely terrifying
• अतिभीषणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + भीषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies 'saṃsāram')

• अश्मना: with a stone
• अश्मना: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चरणौ: (his) two feet
• चरणौ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, द्विवचन

• हत्वा: having struck; having injured
• हत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/Adverbial action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु) → हत्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having struck/killed)

• वाराणस्याम्: in Vārāṇasī
• वाराणस्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्थानाधिकरण

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नरः: a man
• नरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Traditional attribution: a Purana narrator (Suta/Vyasa tradition) teaching the merit of Kāśī as a moksha-kṣetra; framed within Kurma Purana tirtha discourse.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Varanasi (Kashi)
• Moksha
• Samsara

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by stressing moksha as rare and saṃsāra as भयङ्कर, it points to the Atman’s freedom as the goal—attained through intense resolve and sacred-oriented living rather than mere comfort-seeking.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tapas-like determination (dṛḍha-niścaya) and disciplined residence in a moksha-kṣetra (Kāśī). In the Kurma Purana’s broader ethos, such resolve supports sādhana—japa, dhyāna, and devotion aligned with dharma.

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

It does not name Shiva or Vishnu explicitly; however, by praising Kāśī (classically linked with Shiva) within a Vishnu-centered Purana, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative Shaiva–Vaishnava sacred geography and shared soteriology.