Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany

Devanagari script

न मे विप्रास्ति कर्तव्यं नानवाप्तं कथञ्चन / पूजयामि तथापीशं जानन्नैतत् परं शिवम्

Transliteration

na me viprāsti kartavyaṃ nānavāptaṃ kathañcana / pūjayāmi tathāpīśaṃ jānannaitat paraṃ śivam

Translation

ഹേ വിപ്രാ! എനിക്കു ചെയ്യാനുള്ളത് ഒന്നും ശേഷിക്കുന്നില്ല; ലഭിക്കാത്തതും ഒന്നുമില്ല; എങ്കിലും ഞാൻ ആ ഈശ്വരനെ ആരാധിക്കുന്നു—അവൻ പരമശിവനെന്നു അറിഞ്ഞുകൊണ്ട്।

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (particle of negation/निषेधार्थक-अव्यय)

• me: of me / my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• viprāḥ: brahmins
• viprāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• asti: is
• asti: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• kartavyam: something to be done / duty
• kartavyam: Karma (कर्म/predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

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

• anavāptam: not obtained / unattained
• anavāptam: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier of kartavyam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-avāpta (प्रातिपदिक; ava√āp धातु से क्त)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक (negative); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• kathañcana: in any way; at all
• kathañcana: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathañcana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/कदाचित्-अर्थे (adverb: in any way/at all)

• pūjayāmi: I worship
• pūjayāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (पूज् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• tathā: thus; even so
• tathā: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus/so)

• api: also; even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: also/even)

• īśam: the Lord
• īśam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• jānan: knowing
• jānan: Karta (कर्ता/agent as participial qualifier of aham implied)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (Singular)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म/object of jānan)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• param: supreme
• param: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier of śivam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म/object; apposition to īśam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

A realized devotee/teacher addressing a brāhmaṇa (vipra) within the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Isha

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies a state of completeness—nothing remains to be achieved—yet worship continues, indicating realization that the Supreme (Śiva/Īśa) is the ultimate reality beyond personal lack or gain.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse stresses niṣkāma-bhakti (desireless devotion) aligned with Yoga-śāstra: even after inner fulfillment, one maintains disciplined worship (pūjā) as steady absorption in Īśvara rather than as a means to worldly attainment.

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

By presenting Īśa as “paraṃ śivam” in a Purāṇic setting known for synthesis, it supports a non-sectarian reading where the Supreme Lord is one—Śiva as the highest principle, harmonized with broader Kurma Purana unity theology.