Shloka 17

Incarnations of Mahādeva in Kali-yuga (Vaivasvata Manvantara) and the Nakulīśa Horizon

Devanagari script

पराशरश्च गर्गश्च भार्गवश्चाङ्गिरास्तथा / बलबन्धुर्निरामित्रः केतुशृङ्गस्तपोधनः

Transliteration

parāśaraśca gargaśca bhārgavaścāṅgirāstathā / balabandhurnirāmitraḥ ketuśṛṅgastapodhanaḥ

Translation

പരാശരൻ, ഗർഗൻ, ഭാർഗവൻ, ആംഗിരസനും; കൂടാതെ ബലബന്ധു, നിരാമിത്ര, കേതുശൃംഗ—ഇവർ തപോധന ഋഷിമാർ (ആയിരുന്നു)।

Word by Word

• पराशरः: Parāśara (a sage)
• पराशरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराशर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• गर्गः: Garga (a sage)
• गर्गः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• भार्गवः: Bhārgava (descendant of Bhṛgu; a sage)
• भार्गवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भार्गव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• आङ्गिराः: Āṅgirasas (Angiras lineage sages)
• आङ्गिराः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आङ्गिरस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमसूचक

• बलबन्धुः: Balabandhu (name)
• बलबन्धुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल + बन्धु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (बलस्य बन्धुः = friend/kinsman of strength; name)

• निरामित्रः: Nirāmitra (enemyless; name)
• निरामित्रः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर् + अमित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (निर्-अमित्रः = without enemies)

• केतुशृङ्गः: Ketuśṛṅga (name)
• केतुशृङ्गः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: केतु + शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (केतोरिव शृङ्गम्/केतु-शृङ्गः = banner-horned; name)

• तपोधनः: Tapodhana (austerity-wealthy; name)
• तपोधनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् + धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तपसः धनम् यस्य/तपोधनः = whose wealth is austerity)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic discourse voice, within the Kurma Purana’s sage-to-sage transmission)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Garga
• Bhārgava
• Āṅgirasa
• Balabandhu
• Nirāmitra
• Ketuśṛṅga

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by foregrounding tapodhana ṛṣis (those whose ‘wealth’ is tapas), the verse points to the Purāṇic ideal that inner discipline and purity are prerequisites for realizing the Self taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tapas (austerity/discipline) as a core limb supporting yogic steadiness—restraint, vows, and sustained practice—consistent with the Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-śāstra orientation (including Pāśupata-style cultivation of spiritual power through discipline).

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

By itself it is a neutral rishi-enumeration, but it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic method: authoritative sages transmit teachings that, across the text, harmonize Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava viewpoints through shared ideals like tapas, dharma, and liberation.