Shloka 101

Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

यस्तु नारायणं देवं प्रपन्नः परमं पदम् / धारयेत् सर्वदा शूलं ललाटे गन्धवारिभिः

Transliteration

yastu nārāyaṇaṃ devaṃ prapannaḥ paramaṃ padam / dhārayet sarvadā śūlaṃ lalāṭe gandhavāribhiḥ

Translation

ಪರಮ ಗತಿಯ ನಾರಾಯಣ ದೇವನ ಶರಣಾಗತನಾದವನು, ಸುಗಂಧ ಜಲದಿಂದ ನಲಾಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಶೂಲಚಿಹ್ನವನ್ನು ಸದಾ ಧರಿಸಬೇಕು.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग — सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: अव्यय (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: कर्म (Object; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग — नारायणम् इति विशेष्यस्य अपि समानाधिकरणम्

• प्रपन्नः: having taken refuge/surrendered
• प्रपन्नः: कर्ता (as qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + पद् (धातु) → प्रपन्न (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त/क्तवत्-भाव, past participle); प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग — यः इति कर्तृविशेषणम्

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: विशेषण; द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — पदम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: कर्म (Object/goal)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• धारयेत्: should wear/should hold
• धारयेत्: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विधिलिङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन — परस्मैपद

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• शूलम्: trident
• शूलम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• ललाटे: on the forehead
• ललाटे: अधिकरण (Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ललाट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• गन्धवारिभिः: with scented waters
• गन्धवारिभिः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्ध (प्रातिपदिक) + वारि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (gandhasya vāri = scented water); तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing sages/seekers (teaching a Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava integrated observance).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Shula (Trishula)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By naming Nārāyaṇa as the “paramaṃ padam” (supreme goal/abode), the verse frames liberation as reaching the highest reality through prapatti (surrender), implying that the ultimate refuge is the Supreme Lord who is identical with the highest truth sought by the self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice emphasized is prapatti (total refuge) supported by a daily embodied discipline: wearing a sacred mark (triśūla) on the forehead with purified, fragrant water. In the Kurma Purana’s style, such external observances function as aids to inner steadiness, remembrance (smṛti), and vow-based self-regulation aligned with Yoga-shāstra.

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

A devotee surrendered to Nārāyaṇa is instructed to bear Śiva’s emblem (the trident), presenting Śiva–Viṣṇu unity as complementary rather than rival: devotion to the Supreme includes reverence for Śaiva symbols as sanctioned within the Kurma Purana’s integrated theology.