Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 146

Devī-tattva, Śakti–Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla–Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction

Devanagari script

कपिला कापिला कान्ताकनकाभाकलान्तरा / पुण्या पुष्करिणी भोक्त्री पुरन्दरपुरस्सरा

Transliteration

kapilā kāpilā kāntākanakābhākalāntarā / puṇyā puṣkariṇī bhoktrī purandarapurassarā

Translation

ती कपिला, कापिला, सुवर्णकांतीने झळकणारी कान्ता आहे; ती पुण्या, पुष्करिणी-सरस्वरूपा, भोग व पोषण देणारी, आणि पुरंदर (इंद्र) नगराच्या अग्रभागी नेणारी आहे।

Word by Word

• कपिला: tawny; brownish
• कपिला: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कपिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोग

• कापिला: Kapilā; of Kapila (name/epithet)
• कापिला: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कापिला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• कान्ता-कनक-आभा-कल-अन्तरा: having a lovely, golden, gentle radiance within
• कान्ता-कनक-आभा-कल-अन्तरा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कान्ता (प्रातिपदिक) + कनक (प्रातिपदिक) + आभा (प्रातिपदिक) + कल (प्रातिपदिक) + अन्तरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘कान्ता’(प्रिय/सुन्दरी) ‘कनक-आभा’(golden-lustre) ‘कल’(soft/pleasant) ‘अन्तरा’(having within/possessing)

• पुण्या: holy; auspicious
• पुण्या: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• पुष्करिणी: lotus-pond; sacred tank
• पुष्करिणी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुष्करिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• भोक्त्री: enjoyer; consumer
• भोक्त्री: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुज् (धातु) → भोक्तृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि-तृन् (agent noun)

• पुरन्दर-पुरः-सरा: she who moves before Purandara (Indra)
• पुरन्दर-पुरः-सरा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरन्दर (प्रातिपदिक) + पुरः (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + सरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘पुरन्दरस्य पुरः’ (in front of Indra) ‘सरा’ (moving/going)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s sacred geography in a tirtha-mahatmya catalogue style)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Puṣkariṇī (sacred tank)
• Purandara (Indra)
• Kapilā (sacred epithet/name)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly define Ātman; it praises sacred manifestations (names of a holy tank/river-like tirtha) whose merit purifies the seeker—preparing the mind for the Ātman-knowledge taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana (including the Ishvara Gītā sections).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No technique is taught explicitly; the implied discipline is tīrtha-sevā—pilgrimage, ritual bathing, and reverent contemplation—which functions as śuddhi (purification). In Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis, such purification supports steadiness for Pāśupata-oriented restraint, japa, and meditation.

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

The verse itself is a tirtha-epithet catalogue rather than a doctrinal statement; however, in the Kurma Purana’s integrative theology, sacred waters and their merits are shared means of purification honored across Shaiva and Vaishnava paths, supporting non-sectarian dharma leading toward the same highest realization.