Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

एष देवो महादेवो विज्ञेयस्तु महेश्वरः / न तस्य परमं किञ्चित् पदं समधिगम्यते

Transliteration

eṣa devo mahādevo vijñeyastu maheśvaraḥ / na tasya paramaṃ kiñcit padaṃ samadhigamyate

Translation

この神はマハーデーヴァとして、まことにマヘーシュヴァラとして知られるべきである。彼にとって、いかなる最上・究竟の境地も、完全に到達し尽くし、理解し尽くすことはできない。

Word by Word

• eṣaḥ: this (he)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• devaḥ: god
• devaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• mahādevaḥ: the Great God
• mahādevaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (विशेषण-विशेष्यभावः)

• vijñeyaḥ: to be known
• vijñeyaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi + √jñā (ज्ञा) + ya (कृत् प्रत्यय; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भाव्य/विधेय (gerundive), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘to be known’

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; emphasis/contrast

• maheśvaraḥ: the Great Lord
• maheśvaraḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘padam’

• kiñcit: anything
• kiñcit: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kiṃcid (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: अनिश्चितवाचक-सर्वनाम (indefinite pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• padam: state/abode/position
• padam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• samadhigamyate: is attained/realized
• samadhigamyate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb); karmaṇi—‘padam’ as grammatical subject
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-adhi-√gam (गम्)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (Ishvara-tattva teaching in the Upari-bhaga)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva
• Maheshvara

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By declaring Mahādeva/Maheśvara as the unsurpassable Lord whose supreme state cannot be fully grasped, the verse points to the transcendence of the highest Reality beyond ordinary cognition—an Ishvara-tattva that exceeds conceptual limits.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes jñāna (right recognition of Ishvara) and the meditative orientation of Yoga toward an ineffable supreme state; in the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning framework, such knowing is supported by discipline, devotion, and contemplation aimed at realizing the Lord beyond mental constructs.

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

With Lord Kūrma (a Vishnu form) teaching the supremacy of Mahādeva/Maheśvara, the Purana presents a reconciliatory, non-sectarian vision where Shiva is affirmed as the highest Ishvara within a broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis.