Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

Oṅkāra-Liṅga and the Secret Pañcāyatana Liṅgas of Kāśī: Kṛttivāseśvara-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

इदं तद् विमलं लिङ्गमोङ्कारं नाम शोभनम् / अस्य स्मरणमात्रेण मुच्यते सर्वपातकैः

Transliteration

idaṃ tad vimalaṃ liṅgamoṅkāraṃ nāma śobhanam / asya smaraṇamātreṇa mucyate sarvapātakaiḥ

Translation

हेच ते विमल लिंग—शुभ ‘ओंकार’ नामाचे; याचे केवळ स्मरण केले तरी सर्व पापांतून मुक्ती मिळते।

Word by Word

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• tat: that
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (emphatic: ‘that very’)

• vimalam: pure
• vimalam: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• liṅga-oṅkāram: the Oṅkāra-liṅga
• liṅga-oṅkāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + oṅkāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समासः

• nāma: named/called
• nāma: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: नाम-शब्दः, संज्ञासूचक-अव्यय (particle meaning ‘called/namely’)

• śobhanam: auspicious/beautiful
• śobhanam: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śobhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• asya: of this
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• smaraṇa-mātreṇa: by mere remembrance
• smaraṇa-mātreṇa: Karana (करणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: smaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः तत्पुरुषः (स्मरणस्य मात्रम् = mere remembrance)

• mucyate: is freed
• mucyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √muc (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• sarva-pātakaiḥ: from all sins
• sarva-pātakaiḥ: Apadana (अपादानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + pātaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; समासः कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषः (सर्वाणि पातकानि)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages/Indradyumna in a Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Oṅkāra (Oṃ)
• Liṅga
• Śiva (implied as Liṅga/Iśvara)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By identifying the Liṅga with Oṅkāra (Oṃ), the verse points to the Supreme as a pure, formless reality approachable through a sacred symbol and sound—suggesting the Atman/Iśvara is stainless and realized through contemplative remembrance.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes smaraṇa—steady remembrance of Oṃ as embodied in the Liṅga—aligning with Pāśupata-oriented devotion and mantra-dhyāna, where mental recollection and repetition of praṇava purify the mind and remove karmic impurities.

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

With Lord Kūrma teaching the sanctity of the Liṅga and Oṃ, it reflects the Purāṇic synthesis: Viṣṇu affirms Śiva’s emblem (Liṅga) and the praṇava as a shared marker of the one Iśvara, supporting a non-sectarian, unity-based theology.