Shloka 91

Kapālamocana: The Cutting of Brahmā’s Fifth Head, Śiva’s Kāpālika Vow, and Purification in Vārāṇasī

Devanagari script

न संपूर्णं कपालं तद् ब्रह्मणः परमेष्ठिनः / दिव्यं वर्षसहस्रं तु सा च धारा प्रवाहिता

Transliteration

na saṃpūrṇaṃ kapālaṃ tad brahmaṇaḥ parameṣṭhinaḥ / divyaṃ varṣasahasraṃ tu sā ca dhārā pravāhitā

Translation

പരമേഷ്ഠി ബ്രഹ്മാവിന്റെ ആ കപാലപാത്രം എങ്കിലും നിറഞ്ഞില്ല; ആയിരം ദിവ്യവർഷം വരെ അതേ ധാര ഒഴുകിക്കൊണ്ടിരുന്നു।

Word by Word

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negative particle)

• संपूर्णम्: complete, filled
• संपूर्णम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संपूर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण कपालम् प्रति

• कपालम्: skull-bowl
• कपालम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेष्य-निर्देश (Deictic/Reference)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); निर्देश (demonstrative)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: सम्बन्ध (Relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• परमेष्ठिनः: of the Supreme Lord (Parameṣṭhin, epithet of Brahmā)
• परमेष्ठिनः: सम्बन्ध (Relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन (Singular); ब्रह्मणः विशेषण/उपाधि

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषण वर्षसहस्रम् प्रति

• वर्षसहस्रम्: a thousand years
• वर्षसहस्रम्: अधिकरण/काल (Time-span/कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष-सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (varṣāṇām sahasram)

• तु: but, indeed
• तु: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/अन्वयार्थक (but/indeed)

• सा: that (she/it)
• सा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• धारा: stream, flow
• धारा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धारा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• प्रवाहिता: was made to flow, was carried along
• प्रवाहिता: क्रिया-विशेषण/विधेय (Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-वाह् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मणि भावः (was caused to flow/was made to flow)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) narrating to the sages (Kurma Purana discourse frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā (Parameṣṭhin)
• Kapāla (skull-bowl)
• Dhārā (divine stream)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly, it points to the immeasurable scale of the divine—cosmic realities (time and sacred flow) exceed ordinary limits, suggesting that ultimate truth is vast and not grasped by finite measures.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is prescribed in this verse; its emphasis is contemplative—meditating on divine time (divya-varṣa) and sacred flow (dhārā) supports vairāgya and steadiness, themes aligned with Pāśupata-oriented purification in the Kurma Purana.

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

Through shared Purāṇic symbols (kapāla, sacred stream, cosmic time) within Kūrma’s narration, it reflects the text’s synthetic outlook where Vaiṣṇava teaching frames motifs also central to Śaiva ritual-imagery, pointing to a convergent sacred order.