Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 14

Tīrtha-Māhātmya and the Discipline of Pilgrimage (Tīrtha-sevā) within Prāyaścitta

Devanagari script

तत्र स्नात्वा महादेवं पूजयित्वा वृषध्वजम् / सर्वपापैर्विमुच्येत मृतस्तज्ज्ञानमाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

tatra snātvā mahādevaṃ pūjayitvā vṛṣadhvajam / sarvapāpairvimucyeta mṛtastajjñānamāpnuyāt

Translation

ସେଠାରେ ସ୍ନାନ କରି ବୃଷଧ୍ୱଜ ମହାଦେବଙ୍କୁ ପୂଜା କଲେ ସମସ୍ତ ପାପରୁ ମୁକ୍ତି ମିଳେ; ଏବଂ ସେଠାରେ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ହେଲେ ତାଙ୍କ ତତ୍ତ୍ୱଜ୍ଞାନ ଲଭେ।

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb)

• स्नात्वा: having bathed
• स्नात्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्ना (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva
• महादेवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूजयित्वा: having worshipped
• पूजयित्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पूज् (धातु) + इत्वा (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

• वृषध्वजम्: the Bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• वृषध्वजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृषध्वज (प्रातिपदिक; वृष + ध्वज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; epithet of Śiva

• सर्वपापैः: from all sins
• सर्वपापैः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्वपाप (प्रातिपदिक; सर्व + पाप)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; instrumental of separation with vimucyeta

• विमुच्येत: would be freed
• विमुच्येत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मुच् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपदम्; passive/ātmanepada sense 'be freed'

• मृतः: having died
• मृतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; used as adjective/substantive 'having died'

• तत्-ज्ञानम्: that knowledge
• तत्-ज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; object of āpnuyāt

• आप्नुयात्: would attain
• आप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing in a tīrtha-māhātmya context (Shaiva-Vaishnava harmony)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva
• Vrishadhvaja (Shiva)
• Tirtha (implied)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to liberation through "tajjñāna"—the liberating knowledge of the Lord—implying that freedom is ultimately achieved not only by ritual purity but by realization/knowledge that culminates in mokṣa.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights preparatory purification (snāna at a tīrtha) and focused devotion (pūjā of Mahādeva). In Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning framework, such acts support inner purity and steadiness that mature into liberating jñāna.

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

With Lord Kūrma teaching the fruit of worshipping Śiva, the text models Shaiva–Vaishnava unity: devotion to Mahādeva is validated within a Vaishnava narrator’s instruction, emphasizing one liberating Reality approached through Śiva.