Shloka 57

Kapālamocana: The Cutting of Brahmā’s Fifth Head, Śiva’s Kāpālika Vow, and Purification in Vārāṇasī

Devanagari script

नित्यानन्दाय विभवे नमो ऽस्त्वानन्दमूर्तये / नमः कार्यविहीनाय विश्वप्रकृतये नमः

Transliteration

nityānandāya vibhave namo 'stvānandamūrtaye / namaḥ kāryavihīnāya viśvaprakṛtaye namaḥ

Translation

ನಿತ್ಯಾನಂದಸ್ವರೂಪ ಸರ್ವವಿಭವನಾದ ಪ್ರಭುವಿಗೆ ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ—ಆನಂದಮೂರ್ತಿಗೆ ಪ್ರಣಾಮ. ಕಾರ್ಯಫಲವಿಲ್ಲದ, ಕಾರಣಕಾರ್ಯಾತೀತನಿಗೆ ನಮಃ; ವಿಶ್ವಪ್ರಕೃತಿಸ್ವರೂಪನಿಗೂ ನಮಃ.

Word by Word

• नित्यानन्दाय: to eternal bliss
• नित्यानन्दाय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradana/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नित्य + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative singular masculine

• विभवे: to the mighty one / to splendor
• विभवे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradana/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विभव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative singular masculine

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Salutation expression)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: क्रिया (Kriya/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (imperative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• आनन्दमूर्तये: to the form of bliss
• आनन्दमूर्तये: सम्प्रदान (Sampradana/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative singular feminine

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Salutation expression)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

• कार्यविहीनाय: to the actionless one
• कार्यविहीनाय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradana/Recipient)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्य + विहीन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative singular masculine; विशेषण (adjectival use)

• विश्वप्रकृतये: to the universal Prakṛti
• विश्वप्रकृतये: सम्प्रदान (Sampradana/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व + प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative singular feminine

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Salutation expression)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) as the taught Supreme (Ishvara) being praised within the Ishvara Gita-style discourse context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara (Supreme Lord)
• Prakriti (Cosmic Nature)
• Ananda (Bliss)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as eternal bliss itself (ānanda), not merely a blissful experience; and as kāryavihīna—beyond produced effects—indicating a transcendent, actionless reality underlying all states.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports contemplative upāsanā: meditating on Ishvara as ānandamūrti (bliss-form) and as beyond kārya (effects), a classic Pashupata/Ishvara-Gita emphasis on withdrawing attention from changing phenomena to the unconditioned ground.

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

By praising a single Ishvara who is both transcendent (beyond effects) and immanent (ground of the universe), it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: one Supreme Lord worshipped through multiple theistic forms without contradiction.