Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 59
Avimukta-Māhātmya — Vyāsa in Vārāṇasī and Śiva’s Secret Teaching of Liberation
यत्र साक्षान्महादेवो देहान्ते स्वयमीश्वरः / व्याचष्टे तारकं ब्रह्म तत्रैव ह्यविमुक्तकम्
yatra sākṣānmahādevo dehānte svayamīśvaraḥ / vyācaṣṭe tārakaṃ brahma tatraiva hyavimuktakam
Tempat di mana pada akhir hayat Mahādeva sendiri, Sang Īśvara, menyingkapkan secara langsung ‘Tāraka Brahman’—tempat itulah yang disebut Avimuktaka, tanah suci yang tak pernah ditinggalkan.
Narrator (Purāṇic discourse describing the sanctity of Avimuktaka/Kāśī and Śiva’s saving instruction at death)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It presents liberation as arising from direct imparting of Brahman-knowledge (tāraka brahma) by Īśvara at death—implying that the saving truth is realization/knowledge of Brahman rather than mere ritual action.
The verse emphasizes the culminating moment of practice: remembrance and reception of liberating Brahman-knowledge at death. In the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva/Pāśupata context, this aligns with steady devotion, mantra-orientation, and contemplative fixation on Īśvara so the final transition becomes a gateway to mokṣa.
By calling Mahādeva ‘Īśvara’ who grants Brahman-knowledge, the text frames liberation as bestowed by the one Supreme Lord—supporting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where Śiva’s grace and Brahman-realization stand within an overarching unity of the divine.