Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

Jambūdvīpa Varṣas, Bhārata as Karmabhūmi, and the Sacred Hydro-Topography of Dharma

Devanagari script

नर्मदा सुरसा शोण दशार्णा च महानदी / मन्दाकिनी चित्रकूटा तामसी च पिशाचिका

Transliteration

narmadā surasā śoṇa daśārṇā ca mahānadī / mandākinī citrakūṭā tāmasī ca piśācikā

Translation

Narmadā, Surasā, Śoṇa, Daśārṇā et le grand fleuve Mahānadī; Mandākinī, le cours d’eau de Citrakūṭa, Tāmasī et Piśācikā — ceux-là aussi sont des rivières sacrées à se remémorer.

Word by Word

• नर्मदा: Narmadā (river)
• नर्मदा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नर्मदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सुरसा: Surasā (river)
• सुरसा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुरसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• शोणः: Śoṇa (river)
• शोणः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• दशार्णा: Daśārṇā (river)
• दशार्णा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशार्णा (प्रातिपदिक; दश + अर्ण)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (दश अर्णानि/तरङ्गाः/जलप्रवाहाः इति व्युत्पत्तिः)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• महानदी: Mahānadī (river)
• महानदी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महानदी (प्रातिपदिक; महा + नदी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती नदी)

• मन्दाकिनी: Mandākinī (river)
• मन्दाकिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• चित्रकूटा: Citrakūṭā (river)
• चित्रकूटा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित्रकूटा (प्रातिपदिक; चित्र + कूट)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः/कर्मधारय-सम्भव (चित्रः कूटः)

• तामसी: Tāmasī (river)
• तामसी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तामसी (प्रातिपदिक; तमस् + ङीष्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• पिशाचिका: Piśācikā (river)
• पिशाचिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाचिका (प्रातिपदिक; पिशाच + इक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (traditional Purāṇic narrator) recounting the tirtha/rivers list as taught in the Kurma Purana’s sacred geography section

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narmadā
• Surasā
• Śoṇa
• Daśārṇā
• Mahānadī
• Mandākinī
• Citrakūṭa
• Tāmasī
• Piśācikā

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily a tirtha-and-river enumeration; indirectly, it supports the Purāṇic idea that remembrance of sacred tirthas purifies the mind, making it fit for Self-knowledge (ātma-jñāna) taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights tirtha-smaraṇa (contemplative remembrance of holy rivers) as a supportive purification practice; such śuddhi is treated in Purāṇic dharma as preparatory (sādhana-aṅga) for mantra-japa, dhyāna, and disciplined Yoga.

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

The verse does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; its tirtha focus aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis by treating sacred geography and purification as shared devotional ground for both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava worship.