Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

स दृष्ट्वा वदनं दिव्यं मूर्ध्नि लोकपितामहः / तेन तन्मण्जलं घोरमालोकयदनिन्दितम्

Transliteration

sa dṛṣṭvā vadanaṃ divyaṃ mūrdhni lokapitāmahaḥ / tena tanmaṇjalaṃ ghoramālokayadaninditam

Translation

ພຣະປູ່ແຫ່ງໂລກ (ພຣະພຣະຫມາ) ເຫັນພຣະພັກອັນທິບພະຢູ່ເທິງຍອດສິຣະຂອງພຣະເຈົ້າແຫ່ງສັດທັງປວງ ແລ້ວດ້ວຍທັດສະນະນັ້ນເອງ ຈຶ່ງຈ້ອງເບິ່ງລັດສະມີອັນນ່າຢ້ານ ອັນບໍລິສຸດ ບໍ່ມີຕຳນິ.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; ‘having seen’

• वदनम्: face
• वदनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वदन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) of वदनम्

• मूर्ध्नि: on the head / at the head
• मूर्ध्नि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• लोकपितामहः: the grandsire of the world (Brahmā)
• लोकपितामहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + पितामह (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): ‘लोकस्य पितामहः’

• तेन: by/with that
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम-विशेषण (demonstrative) of मञ्जलम्

• मञ्जलम्: (that) mass/cluster (mysterious form)
• मञ्जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मञ्जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of मञ्जलम्

• आलोकयत्: he beheld/saw
• आलोकयत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आलोकय् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• अनिन्दितम्: blameless / faultless
• अनिन्दितम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + निन्दित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of मञ्जलम्; नञ्-समास/उपसर्ग-युक्त (negated)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator, traditionally Sūta/Vyāsa framework) describing Brahmā’s vision

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Lokapitāmaha)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as an “anindita” (faultless) radiance apprehended through direct vision (darśana), implying a reality that is pure, self-luminous, and beyond worldly judgment even when it appears “ghora” (awe-inspiring).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes inner “ālokana” (beholding) of tejas—an image consistent with yogic contemplation where the mind becomes steady enough to perceive the divine light without fear, a theme later systematized in Kurma Purana’s Yoga-oriented teachings (including Pāśupata-inflected discipline).

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

By focusing on a single, blameless, overwhelming divine radiance rather than sectarian markers, the verse supports the Purāṇic non-dual tendency used in the Kurma tradition to harmonize Shaiva and Vaishnava theophanies as expressions of one supreme reality.