Shloka 36

Kapālamocana: The Cutting of Brahmā’s Fifth Head, Śiva’s Kāpālika Vow, and Purification in Vārāṇasī

Devanagari script

यस्य सा परमा देवी शक्तिराकाशसंस्थिता / सो ऽनन्तैश्वर्ययोगात्मा महेशो दृश्यते किल

Transliteration

yasya sā paramā devī śaktirākāśasaṃsthitā / so 'nantaiśvaryayogātmā maheśo dṛśyate kila

Translation

Celui dont la Déesse suprême — sa Śakti transcendante — demeure dans l’éther (ākāśa) : ce Maheshvara est, dit-on, vu comme l’incarnation même du Yoga, doté d’infinies puissances souveraines.

Word by Word

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive/6th), एकवचनम् (Singular); सर्वनाम

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular); सर्वनाम

• परमा: supreme
• परमा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular); विशेषणम् (adjective)

• देवी: Goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• शक्तिः: power/Śakti
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular)

• आकाशसंस्थिता: situated in the sky/ether
• आकाशसंस्थिता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आकाश-संस्थित (प्रातिपदिक; आकाश + संस्थित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे (feminine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular); कृदन्त-विशेषणम्—भूतकृदन्तः (past participle) ‘संस्थित’ (√स्था with सम्-); तत्पुरुष-समासः: आकाशे संस्थिता

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular); सर्वनाम

• अनन्तैश्वर्ययोगात्मा: whose essence is infinite lordship and yoga
• अनन्तैश्वर्ययोगात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त-ऐश्वर्य-योग-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; अनन्त + ऐश्वर्य + योग + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular); बहुव्रीहि-समासः: अनन्तम् ऐश्वर्यं योगश्च यस्य आत्मा/स्वभावः (one whose nature is infinite sovereignty and yoga)

• महेशः: Maheśa (Great Lord)
• महेशः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-ईश (प्रातिपदिक; महा + ईश)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे (masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्तिः (Nominative/1st), एकवचनम् (Singular); कर्मधारय-समासः: महान् ईशः

• दृश्यते: is seen/appears
• दृश्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), आत्मनेपदम् (Atmanepada), प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd person), एकवचनम् (Singular); कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive) — ‘is seen/appears’

• किल: indeed/it is said
• किल: Sambandha/Particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; निपातः (particle) — indeed/truly/it is said

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in a Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maheshvara (Shiva)
• Shakti (the Supreme Goddess)
• Akasha (ether/space)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents Maheshvara as the supreme Lord whose very essence is Yoga, with Shakti pervading subtle space (ākāśa), implying the Supreme is not merely a form but an all-pervading, yogic consciousness-power (cit-śakti) recognized through inner vision.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to īśvara-dhyāna: contemplation of Maheshvara as yoga-ātmā (the very principle of Yoga) and of Shakti as ākāśa-saṃsthitā—subtle, pervasive—supporting meditations on inner space (dahara/ākāśa) and the unbroken presence of divine power.

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

In the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology, Vishnu (as Kurma) can teach Maheshvara-tattva without contradiction: the Supreme Lord is one reality spoken of through Shiva-language (Maheshvara, Shakti, Yoga), reinforcing non-sectarian unity rather than rivalry.