Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

Kapardeśvara at Piśācamocana — Liberation of a Piśāca and the Brahmapāra Hymn

Devanagari script

इदं देवस्य तल्लिङ्गं कपर्दोश्वरमुत्तमम् / स्मृत्वैवाशेषपापौघं क्षिप्रमस्य विमुञ्चति

Transliteration

idaṃ devasya talliṅgaṃ kapardośvaramuttamam / smṛtvaivāśeṣapāpaughaṃ kṣipramasya vimuñcati

Translation

Inilah liṅga suci milik Sang Dewa—Kapardośvara yang tertinggi. Dengan sekadar mengingat-Nya, seseorang segera terbebas dari seluruh tumpukan dosa.

Word by Word

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• devasya: of the god
• devasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• tat-liṅgam: that emblem (liṅga)
• tat-liṅgam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक) + liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; कर्मधारय: tat eva liṅgam = that very emblem

• kaparda-īśvaram: Kapardeśvara
• kaparda-īśvaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaparda (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुष (name): kapardasya īśvaraḥ = Lord Kaparda/Kapardeśvara

• uttamam: supreme
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; agrees with kaparda-īśvaraḥ

• smṛtvā: having remembered
• smṛtvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from √smṛ

• eva: indeed / just
• eva: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चय/अवधारण अव्यय)

• aśeṣa-pāpa-ogham: the entire mass of sins
• aśeṣa-pāpa-ogham: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + pāpa (प्रातिपदिक) + ogha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; multi-member तत्पुरुष: aśeṣāṇi pāpāni teṣām oghaḥ = flood/heap of all sins

• kṣipram: quickly
• kṣipram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipram (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण अव्यय)

• asya: of him / his
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• vimuñcati: releases / frees (from)
• vimuñcati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√muc (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada; from √muc with prefix vi-

Speaker

Sūta (narrating a tīrtha–liṅga māhātmya to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kapardośvara
• Śiva
• Liṅga

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it teaches that purification can begin with smṛti (sacred recollection). In the Purāṇic yoga framework, remembrance of the Lord steadies the mind, making it fit to recognize the Self beyond sin and merit.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Smaraṇa (devotional recollection) is emphasized—an accessible meditative act. In Shaiva-Pāśupata-oriented practice, such remembrance supports citta-śuddhi (mental purification), which is foundational for deeper yoga and mantra-upāsanā.

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

By centering liberation-from-sin on devotion to Śiva’s liṅga within the Kurma Purāṇa (a Vaiṣṇava-linked Purāṇa), it reflects the text’s synthesis: reverence to Śiva is upheld as fully efficacious and harmonious within a broader Hari–Hara unity.