Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

Durjaya, Urvaśī, and the Expiation at Vārāṇasī

Genealogy and Sin-Removal through Viśveśvara

Devanagari script

स तस्या वाक्यमाकर्ण्य लज्जावनतचेतनः / नोवाच किञ्चिन्नृपतिर्ज्ञानदृष्ट्या विवेद सा

Transliteration

sa tasyā vākyamākarṇya lajjāvanatacetanaḥ / novāca kiñcinnṛpatirjñānadṛṣṭyā viveda sā

Translation

彼女の言葉を聞くと、王は恥により心を伏せ、何ひとつ語らなかった。だが彼女は、真実の智の眼によって、その内なるありさまを悟った。

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• तस्याः: of her
• तस्याः: Sambandha/Genitive (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: speech/words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ√कर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having heard’

• लज्जा-वनत-चेतनः: whose mind was bowed down with shame
• लज्जा-वनत-चेतनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लज्जा (प्रातिपदिक) + वनत (√नम्, क्त-प्रत्यय; कृदन्त) + चेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन; समास: तत्पुरुष (लज्जया वनतं चेतनं यस्य)

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्ष/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• किञ्चित्: anything
• किञ्चित्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन; indefinite ‘anything’

• नृपतिः: the king
• नृपतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृपति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• ज्ञान-दृष्ट्या: by insight/knowledge-vision
• ज्ञान-दृष्ट्या: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + दृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3/तृतीया), एकवचन; करण (instrumental): ‘by/with the vision of knowledge’

• विवेद: knew/understood
• विवेद: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √विद् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्ष/परफेक्ट), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration, traditionally through Vyāsa/Sūta framework)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• nṛpati (king)
• sā (the woman addressed in context)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It does so indirectly: the phrase “jñāna-dṛṣṭi” highlights a discerning awareness that sees inner reality beyond external speech, echoing the Purāṇic emphasis that true knowledge penetrates the mind’s movements.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No formal technique is prescribed, but the verse foregrounds yogic discernment (jñāna-dṛṣṭi)—the cultivated capacity to read inner states (shame, silence) and remain grounded in insight, a value consistent with Kurma Purana’s yoga-oriented teaching.

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

This specific verse does not name Shiva or Vishnu; its contribution is thematic—valuing jñāna (spiritual insight) and ethical self-awareness, which the Kurma Purana later integrates into its broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis.