Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Oṅkāra-Liṅga and the Secret Pañcāyatana Liṅgas of Kāśī: Kṛttivāseśvara-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

मत्स्योदर्यास्तटे पुण्यं स्थानं गुह्यतमं शुभम् / गोचर्ममात्रं विप्रेन्द्रा ओङ्कारेश्वरमुत्तमम्

Transliteration

matsyodaryāstaṭe puṇyaṃ sthānaṃ guhyatamaṃ śubham / gocarmamātraṃ viprendrā oṅkāreśvaramuttamam

Translation

Sur la rive de la Matsyodarī se trouve un lieu saint, riche en mérite, le plus secret et le plus propice. Ô meilleurs des brāhmaṇas, bien qu’il n’ait que la taille d’une peau de vache, c’est le sanctuaire suprême d’Oṅkāreśvara.

Word by Word

• मत्स्योदर्याः: of Matsyodarī (river)
• मत्स्योदर्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत्स्योदरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), षष्ठी (genitive), एकवचन (singular)

• तटे: on the bank
• तटे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सप्तमी (locative), एकवचन (singular)

• पुण्यम्: holy
• पुण्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); स्थानम् इति विशेषणम्

• स्थानम्: place
• स्थानम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• गुह्यतमम्: most secret
• गुह्यतमम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); तमप्-प्रत्यय (superlative)

• शुभम्: auspicious
• शुभम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• गो-चर्म-मात्रम्: measuring only a cowhide (in extent)
• गो-चर्म-मात्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक) + चर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (determinative: 'only as much as a cowhide')

• विप्र-इन्द्राः: O best of Brahmins
• विप्र-इन्द्राः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक) + इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), सम्बोधन (vocative), बहुवचन (plural); तत्पुरुषः (determinative: 'chief of Brahmins')

• ओङ्कार-ईश्वरम्: Oṅkāreśvara (a Śiva-liṅga)
• ओङ्कार-ईश्वरम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ओङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); तत्पुरुषः (determinative: 'Lord named Oṅkāra')

• उत्तमम्: supreme, excellent
• उत्तमम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular); ईश्वरम् इति विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages/brāhmaṇas in a tīrtha-mahātmya context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Matsyodarī (river)
• Oṅkāreśvara (Shiva)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it points to the Purāṇic principle that the Infinite can be approached through a finite locus—an outward tīrtha that supports inward recollection of the supreme reality, here honored as Oṅkāreśvara.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tīrtha-sevā as an auxiliary discipline: pilgrimage, reverent dwelling at a sanctified spot, and japa/meditation on Oṁ (implied by “Oṅkāra”) as a focused practice aligned with Śaiva devotion within the Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-ethos.

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

Vishnu (as Lord Kūrma) praises a supreme Śiva-linga site, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where devotion to Śiva is affirmed within a Vaiṣṇava narrative voice.