Shloka 57
Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany
न वै पश्यन्ति तं देवं मायया मोहिता जनाः / ततो ऽहं स्वात्मनो मूलं ज्ञापयन् पूजयामि तम्
na vai paśyanti taṃ devaṃ māyayā mohitā janāḥ / tato 'haṃ svātmano mūlaṃ jñāpayan pūjayāmi tam
മായയാൽ മോഹിതരായ ജനങ്ങൾ ആ ദേവനെ യഥാർത്ഥത്തിൽ കാണുന്നില്ല; അതിനാൽ എന്റെ സ്വാത്മത്തിന്റെ മൂലത്തെ അറിയിപ്പാൻ ഞാൻ അവനെ ആരാധിക്കുന്നു।
Narratorial voice within the Purāṇic discourse (teaching-oriented passage affirming the hidden Deva beyond Māyā)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It implies the Supreme Deva is not grasped by ordinary perception when the mind is veiled by Māyā; realization requires revealing the root of the Self—pointing to an inner, foundational reality beyond appearances.
The verse emphasizes a jñāna-oriented movement (jñāpayan—making the root of the Self known) supported by bhakti (pūjayāmi—worship). In Kurma Purana’s idiom, this aligns with disciplined inner inquiry and devotion that pierce Māyā’s delusion.
By focusing on “that Deva” beyond Māyā and presenting worship as a means to reveal the Self’s source, it supports the Purāṇa’s non-sectarian thrust: the highest Lord is one, approached through integrated devotion and knowledge rather than rigid divine dualism.