Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 141

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

निर्मितं हि मया पूर्वं व्रतं पाशुपतं परम् / गुह्याद् गुह्यतमं सूक्ष्मं वेदसारं विमुक्तये

Transliteration

nirmitaṃ hi mayā pūrvaṃ vrataṃ pāśupataṃ param / guhyād guhyatamaṃ sūkṣmaṃ vedasāraṃ vimuktaye

Translation

Vrata Pāśupata yang tertinggi ini dahulu Aku sendiri tetapkan—lebih rahasia dari segala rahasia, halus dalam laku batin, inti Veda, demi pembebasan akhir.

Word by Word

• निर्मितम्: made/constructed
• निर्मितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्मित (कृदन्त; √मा/मि- 'निर्मा' धातु)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; predicate participle

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेतु/निश्चयार्थ

• मया: by me
• मया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (करण) एकवचन; Instrumental

• पूर्वम्: formerly/before
• पूर्वम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) कालवाचक

• व्रतम्: vow/observance
• व्रतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; object

• पाशुपतम्: Pāśupata (of Paśupati)
• पाशुपतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पाशुपत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण of व्रतम्

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण of व्रतम्

• गुह्यात्: from the secret
• गुह्यात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी एकवचन; Ablative (from)

• गुह्यतमम्: most secret
• गुह्यतमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्यतम (प्रातिपदिक; तमप्-प्रत्यय superlative)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण of (व्रतम्) understood

• सूक्ष्मम्: subtle
• सूक्ष्मम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूक्ष्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन; विशेषण

• वेदसारम्: essence of the Veda
• वेदसारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + सार (प्रातिपदिक-द्वय)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वेदस्य सारः), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया एकवचन

• विमुक्तये: for liberation
• विमुक्तये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विमुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी एकवचन; Dative (for)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) teaching the Śaiva Pāśupata discipline within the Kurma Purana’s synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu)
• Paśupati (Śiva)
• Pāśupata-vrata
• Veda (Vedic essence)
• Mokṣa (Vimukti)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling the Pāśupata observance “the essence of the Veda” and “subtle,” the verse points to liberation through inward realization—an inner (sūkṣma) discipline aimed at direct release (vimukti), rather than mere external ritual.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights Pāśupata-vrata as a supreme, esoteric yogic discipline—an inward, subtle method (sūkṣma) traditionally taught as a guarded practice, oriented toward mokṣa rather than worldly merit.

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

Viṣṇu as Lord Kūrma declares that he established a Śaiva Pāśupata vow for liberation, presenting Śiva’s path as fully authoritative within a Vaiṣṇava voice—an explicit Shaiva–Vaishnava unity typical of the Kurma Purana.