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Shloka 38

Avimukta-Māhātmya — Vyāsa in Vārāṇasī and Śiva’s Secret Teaching of Liberation

अविमुक्तं न सेवन्ति मूढा ये तमसावृताः / विण्मूत्ररेतसां मध्ये ते वसन्ति पुनः पुनः

avimuktaṃ na sevanti mūḍhā ye tamasāvṛtāḥ / viṇmūtraretasāṃ madhye te vasanti punaḥ punaḥ

Orang bodoh yang diselubungi kegelapan tidak mendekati Avimukta. Berkali-kali mereka tinggal di tengah kekotoran—di antara najis, air kencing dan mani—lalu kembali lagi ke kewujudan berjasad.

avimuktamAvimukta (the sacred place)
avimuktam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roota-vimukta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)
nanot
na:
Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेध-निपात)
sevantiserve/attend/resort to
sevanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsev (धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
mūḍhāḥthe deluded/fools
mūḍhāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmūḍha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
yewho
ye:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
tamasāby darkness/ignorance
tamasā:
Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Roottamas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)
āvṛtāḥcovered/enveloped
āvṛtāḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootā-vṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √vṛ ‘to cover’)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
viṇ-mūtra-retasāmof feces, urine, and semen
viṇ-mūtra-retasām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootviṇ (प्रातिपदिक) + mūtra (प्रातिपदिक) + retas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormGenitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural (बहुवचन); इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (viṇ ca mūtram ca retaś ca)
madhyein the midst
madhye:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootmadhya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)
tethey
te:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
vasantidwell/live
vasanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvas (धातु)
FormPresent tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
punaḥagain
punaḥ:
Kāla/Avyaya (काल/अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpunaḥ (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण)
punaḥagain and again
punaḥ:
Kāla/Avyaya (काल/अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootpunaḥ (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण), repetition for emphasis

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Purāṇic teaching on Avimukta-kṣetra’s salvific power

Primary Rasa: bibhatsa

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

A
Avimukta
T
Tamas
S
Saṃsāra

FAQs

By contrasting Avimukta (a locus of awakening) with tamas-bound delusion, the verse implies that ignorance obscures the Self; when ignorance persists, one repeatedly identifies with the impure body and remains in saṃsāra rather than realizing the Atman.

The verse points to viveka (discernment) and vairāgya (dispassion) as prerequisites: turning toward sacred discipline (tīrtha-sevā, japa, śiva/viṣṇu-bhakti, and inner purification) instead of remaining tamas-dominated. In Kurma Purana’s yogic ethos, such purification supports steady meditation and liberation-oriented practice.

Avimukta is traditionally associated with Śiva’s liberating grace, yet the Kurma Purana frames liberation through a shared dharmic-yogic vision where Hari and Hara are harmonized; seeking the liberating kṣetra signifies turning toward that unified salvific principle rather than bodily delusion.