Commencement of the Upari-bhāga: The Sages Request Brahma-vidyā; Vyāsa Recalls the Badarikā Inquiry and Śiva–Viṣṇu Theophany
जयेश्वर महादेव जय भूतपते शिव / जयाशेषमुनीशान तपसाभिप्रपूजित
jayeśvara mahādeva jaya bhūtapate śiva / jayāśeṣamunīśāna tapasābhiprapūjita
ജയം, ഹേ ഈശ്വര മഹാദേവാ! ജയം, ഹേ ശിവാ, ഭൂതപതേ! ജയം, ഹേ അശേഷ മുനികളുടെ ഈശാനാ—തപസ്സാൽ ആരാധിതനേ!
Sages (Ṛṣis) praising Lord Śiva within the Īśvara-gītā setting narrated in the Kurma Purana
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: bhakti
By acclaiming Śiva as Īśvara—the sovereign Lord revered by sages—the verse points to a supreme spiritual principle recognized through realization and disciplined practice, not merely ritual.
Tapas (austerity/ascetic discipline) is emphasized as a primary means of worship—suggesting inner purification, restraint, and sustained spiritual effort aligned with Pāśupata-oriented devotion.
Within the Kurma Purana’s synthesizing theology, such hymns elevate Śiva as Īśvara in a way compatible with the Purana’s broader non-sectarian framing—where supreme lordship is approached through unified devotion and yogic discipline.