Shloka 12

Avimukta-Māhātmya — Vyāsa in Vārāṇasī and Śiva’s Secret Teaching of Liberation

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा स जैमिनेर्वाक्यं कृष्णद्वैपायनो मुनिः / प्राह गम्भीरया वाचा प्रणम्य वृषकेतनम्

Transliteration

śrutvā sa jaiminervākyaṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyano muniḥ / prāha gambhīrayā vācā praṇamya vṛṣaketanam

Translation

ജൈമിനിയുടെ വാക്കുകൾ കേട്ട മുനി കൃഷ്ണദ്വൈപായനൻ (വ്യാസൻ) വൃഷകേതനനായ ശിവനെ നമസ്കരിച്ചു ഗംഭീരവാണിയിൽ പറഞ്ഞു।

Word by Word

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; धातु: श्रु (to hear)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• जैमिनेः: of Jaimini
• जैमिनेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जैमिनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• वाक्यम्: statement, words
• वाक्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• कृष्णद्वैपायनः: Kṛṣṇa-Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)
• कृष्णद्वैपायनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्णद्वैपायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समास: कृष्ण + द्वैपायन (name)

• मुनिः: sage
• मुनिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• प्राह: said, spoke
• प्राह: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + अह्/ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गम्भीरया: with deep (tone)
• गम्भीरया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गम्भीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• वाचा: with speech/voice
• वाचा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाच् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + नम् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (Gerund/Absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया; धातु: नम् (to bow)

• वृषकेतनम्: Vṛṣaketu (Śiva; ‘bull-bannered one’)
• वृषकेतनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषकेतन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समास: वृष (bull) + केतन (banner/mark)

Speaker

Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana Vyāsa

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Jaimini
• Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa)
• Vṛṣaketanam (Śiva)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by showing Vyāsa bowing to Śiva before teaching, the verse reflects the Purāṇic view that the highest truth is approached through reverence to Īśvara—often expressed as the one Reality honored through multiple divine forms.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is taught in this line; it establishes the yogic prerequisite of humility (praṇāma) and guru-led transmission, which the Kurma Purāṇa later connects with disciplines like devotion, self-restraint, and Śaiva-oriented practice (often termed Pāśupata-aligned in tone).

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

Vyāsa’s salutation to Śiva within a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa framework signals the Kurma Purāṇa’s non-sectarian synthesis: Śiva is honored as Īśvara even as the text advances broader Vishnu-Kurma-centered narration, presenting unity rather than rivalry.