Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26
Meru-Topography: Cities of Brahmā and the Dikpālas; Descent of Gaṅgā; Varṣa-Lotus and Boundary Mountains
तत्रेशानस्य भवनं रुद्रविष्णुतनोः शुभम् / घमेश्वरस्य विपुलं तत्रास्ते स गणैर्वृतः
tatreśānasya bhavanaṃ rudraviṣṇutanoḥ śubham / ghameśvarasya vipulaṃ tatrāste sa gaṇairvṛtaḥ
Là se dresse l’auguste demeure d’Īśāna, dont la forme est à la fois Rudra et Viṣṇu. Là se trouve aussi le vaste sanctuaire de Ghameśvara; et là Il réside, entouré de ses gaṇas.
Sūta (narrating to the sages, describing a sacred site and its deity)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
By describing Īśāna as having the form of both Rudra and Viṣṇu, the verse signals a single divine reality expressed through multiple theistic forms—supporting a unitive (non-sectarian) vision of the Supreme.
No specific technique is taught in this line; rather, it frames a tirtha-temple setting where devotion (bhakti), remembrance of Īśvara, and pilgrimage-based purification support the broader Kurma Purana ethos that culminates in disciplined yoga and Śaiva practice.
It explicitly presents Īśāna as “Rudra–Viṣṇu-bodied,” emphasizing theological unity: Śiva and Viṣṇu are not rival absolutes but convergent manifestations of the same Īśvara.