Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

इति सोमाष्टकेनेशं प्रणनाम पितामहः / पपात दण्डवद् भूमौ गृणन् वै शतरुद्रियम्

Transliteration

iti somāṣṭakeneśaṃ praṇanāma pitāmahaḥ / papāta daṇḍavad bhūmau gṛṇan vai śatarudriyam

Translation

Demikian, setelah memuji Tuhan dengan kidung Somāṣṭaka, Pitāmaha (Brahmā) bersujud kepada Īśvara. Ia rebah ke bumi laksana tongkat dalam sujud penuh, sambil melantunkan Śatarudrīya sebagai pujian.

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: वाक्य-सम्बन्ध (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; इत्यादि-समाप्त्यर्थक/quotative particle

• सोमाष्टकेन: with the Soma-aṣṭaka (hymn of eight verses)
• सोमाष्टकेन: करण (Karana/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम + अष्टक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/तृतीया), एकवचन; instrumental singular neuter

• ईशम्: the Lord
• ईशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular masculine

• प्रणनाम: bowed down
• प्रणनाम: क्रिया (Kriya/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; perfect 3rd person singular (parasmaipada)

• पितामहः: Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; nominative singular masculine

• पपात: fell
• पपात: क्रिया (Kriya/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; perfect 3rd person singular

• दण्डवत्: prostrate (like a staff)
• दण्डवत्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: दण्डवत् (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाववत्-प्रयोग)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverbial: ‘like a staff’, i.e., prostrate)

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7/सप्तमी), एकवचन; locative singular feminine

• गृणन्: praising/reciting
• गृणन्: कर्ता (Karta/Agent, participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गॄ (धातु) → गृणत् (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; nominative singular masculine; contemporaneous action with main verb

• वै: indeed
• वै: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle)

• शतरुद्रियम्: the Śatarudriya (hymn)
• शतरुद्रियम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शत + रुद्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन; accusative singular neuter

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing Brahmā’s act of worship)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Pitāmaha (Brahmā)
• Soma
• Rudra (via Śatarudrīya)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By showing Brahmā himself bowing to Īśvara, the verse implies a supreme principle beyond the created order: the highest Lord who is worthy of Vedic praise (Śatarudrīya) and absolute surrender, indicating transcendent sovereignty over all cosmic functions.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights embodied devotion as a discipline: stotra-japa/recitation (Somāṣṭaka and Śatarudrīya) combined with daṇḍavat-praṇāma (full prostration). In the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning ethos, such humility, mantra-recitation, and total surrender function as practical limbs of worship leading to inner purification.

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

It presents Īśvara as the supreme recipient of Vedic Rudra-praise (Śatarudrīya) while situated within a Purāṇic framework that often harmonizes sectarian forms—suggesting that the highest Lord may be approached through Śaiva liturgy without contradicting the Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis.