Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

Kapardeśvara at Piśācamocana — Liberation of a Piśāca and the Brahmapāra Hymn

Devanagari script

अलिङ्गमालोकविहीनरूपं स्वयंप्रभं चित्पतिमेकरुद्रम् / तं ब्रह्मपारं परमेश्वरं त्वां नमस्करिष्ये न यतो ऽन्यदस्ति

Transliteration

aliṅgamālokavihīnarūpaṃ svayaṃprabhaṃ citpatimekarudram / taṃ brahmapāraṃ parameśvaraṃ tvāṃ namaskariṣye na yato 'nyadasti

Translation

ഹേ അലിംഗ, ലോകാലോകങ്ങളെ അതീതമായ രൂപമുള്ളവനേ, സ്വയംപ്രഭ, ചിത്പതി ഏകരുദ്രാ! നീയേ ബ്രഹ്മപാരം, പരമേശ്വരൻ. നിന്നെ ഞാൻ നമസ്കരിക്കുന്നു; നിന്നൊഴികെ മറ്റൊന്നുമില്ല.

Word by Word

• अलिङ्गम्: without attributes/marks
• अलिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ-लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (Neuter, Accusative singular; adjective)

• आलोक-विहीन-रूपम्: having a form devoid of perceptible light
• आलोक-विहीन-रूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आलोक (प्रातिपदिक) + विहीन (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी/तत्पुरुष (ālokavihīna-rūpa: 'form devoid of light/visibility')

• स्वयम्-प्रभम्: self-luminous
• स्वयम्-प्रभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (self-luminous)

• चित्-पतिम्: lord of consciousness
• चित्-पतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित् (प्रातिपदिक) + पति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (lord of consciousness)

• एक-रुद्रम्: the one Rudra
• एक-रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (the one Rudra)

• तम्: him/that (one)
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• ब्रह्म-पारम्: beyond Brahman / the farthest transcendence
• ब्रह्म-पारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + पार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (beyond Brahman / having Brahman as the far shore)

• परम-ईश्वरम्: the Supreme Lord
• परम-ईश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (supreme Lord)

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया, एकवचन (2nd person pronoun, Accusative singular)

• नमस्करिष्ये: I shall salute
• नमस्करिष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस्-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद (I shall bow/salute)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• यतः: because/from whom
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय)
• Form: हेतु-अव्यय/सम्बन्धबोधक (indeclinable of cause: 'because/from which')

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Neuter, Nominative singular)

• अस्ति: exists
• अस्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

A devotee/supplicant within the Purva-bhaga narration (hymnic address to Parameshvara as Eka-Rudra)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Parameshvara
• Eka-Rudra
• Brahman

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as aliṅga (without limiting attributes), self-luminous consciousness (cit), and the sole reality—implying a non-dual ground where nothing exists apart from that Supreme.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to nirguṇa-upāsanā: contemplation of the self-effulgent Lord beyond sensory “light” and external marks—an inward meditative focus aligned with Pashupata-style devotion to the one Ishvara.

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

By naming the Supreme as “Eka-Rudra” while also affirming the all-encompassing Parameshvara beyond Brahman’s far shore, it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: the highest Ishvara is one, approached through Shaiva and Vaishnava idioms without contradiction.