Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 59

Tīrtha-māhātmya and Rudra’s Samanvaya Teaching

Maṅkaṇaka Episode

Devanagari script

नमो ऽस्तु ते महादेव महेश्वर नमो ऽस्तु ते / किमेतद् भगवद्रूपं सुघोरं विश्वतोमुखम्

Transliteration

namo 'stu te mahādeva maheśvara namo 'stu te / kimetad bhagavadrūpaṃ sughoraṃ viśvatomukham

Translation

南無まします、マハーデーヴァよ。南無まします、マヘーシュヴァラよ。これはいかなるバガヴァーンの御姿か—あまりに畏ろしく、恐るべき—その御面は四方八方に向けられている。

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha/Prayojana (सम्बन्ध/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; indeclinable-like usage in salutation

• अस्तु: let there be
• अस्तु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Dative singular)

• महादेव: O Mahādeva
• महादेव: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय, पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन

• महेश्वर: O Maheśvara
• महेश्वर: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय, पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन, एकवचन

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha/Prayojana (सम्बन्ध/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; repetition

• अस्तु: let there be
• अस्तु: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; deictic pronoun; with किम् → 'किम् एतत्'

• भगवत्-रूपम्: the divine form
• भगवत्-रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (भगवतः रूपम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सुघोरम्: very terrible
• सुघोरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/उपपद-समास (सु-घोर), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of रूपम्

• विश्वतोमुखम्: facing all directions
• विश्वतोमुखम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वतः (अव्यय) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव (विश्वतः मुखम् = 'having faces on all sides'), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of रूपम्

Speaker

A devotee/sage addressing Lord Śiva (Maheśvara) upon witnessing a cosmic, all-faced form (viśvarūpa-like theophany).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva
• Maheshvara
• Bhagavat (the Lord)
• Vishvatomukha (all-faced form)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By portraying the Lord as “all-faced” (viśvatomukha), the verse points to an all-pervading, cosmic divinity that transcends limited individuality—suggesting the Supreme as universal presence rather than a localized form.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds bhakti and īśvara-dhyāna: reverential surrender (namo 'stu) and contemplative awe before the divine theophany—an orientation consistent with Pāśupata-leaning devotion where vision of the Lord arises through disciplined worship and inward focus.

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

Addressing Śiva as “Bhagavān” with a universal-form motif common to Viṣṇu traditions supports the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: the supreme Lord can be praised as Maheśvara while bearing cosmic attributes that resonate with Vaiṣṇava viśvarūpa theology.