Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

Prayāga-māhātmya and Ṛṇa-pramocana-tīrtha — Māgha-snāna, Austerities, and Release from Debts

Devanagari script

इति श्रीकूर्मपुराणे षट्साहस्त्र्यां संहितायां पूर्वविभागे पञ्चत्रिंशो ऽध्यायः मार्कण्डेय उवाच षष्टिस्तीर्थसहस्त्राणि षष्टिस्तीर्थशतानि च / माघमासे गमिष्यन्ति गङ्गायमुनसंगमम्

Transliteration

iti śrīkūrmapurāṇe ṣaṭsāhastryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ pūrvavibhāge pañcatriṃśo 'dhyāyaḥ mārkaṇḍeya uvāca ṣaṣṭistīrthasahastrāṇi ṣaṣṭistīrthaśatāni ca / māghamāse gamiṣyanti gaṅgāyamunasaṃgamam

Translation

ଏହିପରି ଶ୍ରୀକୂର୍ମପୁରାଣର ଷଟ୍ସାହସ୍ତ୍ରୀ ସଂହିତାର ପୂର୍ବବିଭାଗର ପଞ୍ଚତ୍ରିଂଶ ଅଧ୍ୟାୟ ସମାପ୍ତ। ମାର୍କଣ୍ଡେୟ କହିଲେ—ଷଷ୍ଟି ସହସ୍ର ତୀର୍ଥ ଓ ଷଷ୍ଟି ଶତ ତୀର୍ଥସ୍ଥାନ ମାଘମାସେ ଗଙ୍ଗା-ଯମୁନା ସଙ୍ଗମକୁ ଯାଆନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसंहार/उद्धरणार्थक-अव्यय (quotative/closing particle)

• श्रीकूर्मपुराणे: in the Śrī Kūrma Purāṇa
• श्रीकूर्मपुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री+कूर्मपुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (śrī-kūrma-purāṇa = the venerable Kūrma Purāṇa)

• षट्साहस्त्र्याम्: in the Ṣaṭsāhastrī (six-thousand section)
• षट्साहस्त्र्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट्+साहस्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण; द्विगु-समास (six-thousand [verses/units])

• संहितायाम्: in the Saṃhitā
• संहितायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• पूर्वविभागे: in the former section
• पूर्वविभागे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्वविभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-भाव (पूर्वः विभागः)

• पञ्चत्रिंशः: thirty-fifth
• पञ्चत्रिंशः: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चत्रिंशत् (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; संख्याविशेषण; द्विगु (thirty-five)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• मार्कण्डेयः: Mārkaṇḍeya
• मार्कण्डेयः: Karta (कर्ता/Speaker-subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मार्कण्डेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• षष्टिः: sixty
• षष्टिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: (अव्ययवत्) संख्याशब्दः; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (sixty)

• तीर्थसहस्त्राणि: thousands of tīrthas
• तीर्थसहस्त्राणि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ+सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तीर्थाणां सहस्राणि)

• षष्टिः: sixty
• षष्टिः: Visheshana (विशेषण/qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: षष्टि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्याशब्दः; प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• तीर्थशतानि: hundreds of tīrthas
• तीर्थशतानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ+शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तीर्थाणां शतानि)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• माघमासे: in the month of Māgha
• माघमासे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माघमास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरण; कर्मधारय (माघः मासः)

• गमिष्यन्ति: will go
• गमिष्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लृट् (Simple Future), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• गङ्गायमुनसंगमम्: the confluence of the Ganga and Yamuna
• गङ्गायमुनसंगमम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा+यमुना+संगम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्म; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गङ्गायमुनयोः संगमः)

Speaker

Markandeya

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Markandeya
• Ganga
• Yamuna
• Ganga-Yamuna Sangama
• Magha (month)

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 emphasizes tīrtha-mahātmyā—how sacred space and sacred time (Māgha at the Saṅgama) support purification and dhārmic orientation that prepare the mind for Self-knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The implied practice is tīrtha-sevā such as Māgha observances (especially snāna at a saṅgama), which function as preparatory disciplines (śuddhi and saṃskāra) complementary to later yogic and devotional teachings in the Kūrma Purāṇa tradition.

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

It does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; however, the Kūrma Purāṇa’s synthesis often frames tīrthas and saṅgamas as universally sanctifying—shared sacred geography that supports both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava modes of worship.