Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Kṛṣṇa’s Departure, Kali-yuga Dharma, and the Prohibition of Śiva-Nindā

Hari–Hara Samanvaya

Devanagari script

यो मां समाश्रयेन्नित्यमेकान्तं भावमाश्रितः / विनिन्द्य देवमीशानं स याति नरकायुतम्

Transliteration

yo māṃ samāśrayennityamekāntaṃ bhāvamāśritaḥ / vinindya devamīśānaṃ sa yāti narakāyutam

Translation

ആരെങ്കിലും ഏകാന്തഭാവത്തോടെ നിത്യമായി എന്നെ ആശ്രയിച്ചാലും, ഇശാനദേവൻ (ശിവൻ)നെ നിന്ദിച്ചാൽ അവൻ അനേകം നരകങ്ങളിലേക്കു പോകുന്നു.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक-सर्वनाम (who)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उत्तम-पुरुष-सर्वनाम

• समाश्रयेत्: should take refuge in / resort to
• समाश्रयेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; (पाठे समाश्रयेन् इति सन्ध्यन्तरम्)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-Visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb: always)

• एकान्तम्: exclusive / single-minded
• एकान्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एकान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भावम् इति पदस्य विशेषणम्

• भावम्: attitude / disposition
• भावम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• आश्रितः: having adopted / resorted to
• आश्रितः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-श्रि (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यः इति कर्तृपदस्य विशेषणम्

• विनिन्द्य: having reviled
• विनिन्द्य: Purvakala-Kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-निन्द् (धातु) + ल्यप् (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: अव्ययकृदन्त (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त), पूर्वकालिक-क्रिया (having reviled)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ईशानम्: Īśāna (Śiva)
• ईशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; देवम् इति पदस्य समानाधिकरण-विशेषणम् (appositional)

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

• याति: goes
• याति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नरक-अयुतम्: a myriad (ayuta) of hell (i.e., great hell)
• नरक-अयुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरक (प्रातिपदिक) + अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (नरकस्य अयुतम् = a myriad of hells / hell in thousands)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) teaching dharma with Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma (Vishnu)
• Īśāna (Śiva)
• Deva

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies the One Lord is honored through multiple divine forms; true refuge is not sectarian hostility but recognition of the same Īśvara principle manifest as Śiva (Īśāna) and Viṣṇu (Kūrma).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It stresses the ethical prerequisite for Yoga—purity of speech and mind (avoiding deva-nindā). Single-pointed devotion (ekānta-bhāva) is valid only when grounded in non-offensive reverence toward Īśvara’s manifestations.

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

It presents a synthetic stance: devotion to Viṣṇu is incompatible with insulting Śiva; honoring Īśāna is integral to genuine surrender, reflecting Shaiva–Vaishnava unity in the Kurma Purana.