Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Dakṣa-yajña-bhaṅgaḥ — Dadhīci’s Teaching and the Destruction of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

यं गृणन्तीह विद्वांसो धार्मिका ब्रह्मवादिनः / सो ऽयं साक्षी तीव्ररोचिः कालात्मा शाङ्करीतनुः

Transliteration

yaṃ gṛṇantīha vidvāṃso dhārmikā brahmavādinaḥ / so 'yaṃ sākṣī tīvrarociḥ kālātmā śāṅkarītanuḥ

Translation

ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਦੀ ਇੱਥੇ ਵਿਦਵਾਨ, ਧਰਮੀ ਅਤੇ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਵਾਦੀ ਨਿਰੰਤਰ ਸ্তুਤੀ ਕਰਦੇ ਹਨ—ਉਹੀ ਸਾਕਸ਼ੀ ਹੈ; ਤੀਖੀ ਜੋਤ ਵਾਲਾ, ਕਾਲ-ਆਤਮਾ, ਸ਼ਾਂਕਰੀ ਤਨੂ (ਸ਼ਿਵ-ਸਰੂਪ) ਧਾਰਨ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲਾ।

Word by Word

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम

• गृणन्ति: praise/sing
• गृणन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• विद्वांसः: the learned
• विद्वांसः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्वस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• धार्मिकाः: righteous
• धार्मिकाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धार्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying विद्वांसः)

• ब्रह्मवादिनः: expounders of Brahman/Veda
• ब्रह्मवादिनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्म + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः वादिनः)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक सर्वनाम

• अयम्: this (very one)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; निर्देशवाचक सर्वनाम

• साक्षी: witness
• साक्षी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तीव्ररोचिः: of intense radiance
• तीव्ररोचिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीव्र + रोचिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (तीव्रा रोचिः यस्य) विशेषण

• कालात्मा: Time-souled
• कालात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• शाङ्करीतनुः: having Śaṅkarī (Pārvatī) as his body/form
• शाङ्करीतनुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाङ्करी + तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शाङ्करी तनुः यस्य)

Speaker

Narratorial/teaching voice within the Purāṇic discourse (praise identifying the Supreme as Śiva-form)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shankara (Shiva)
• Brahman
• Kala (Time)
• Sakshi (Witness)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as the sākṣī (inner Witness) and as kālātmā—Time as an aspect of the Self—indicating an all-pervading consciousness that illumines and oversees all change.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

While not prescribing a technique directly, the verse points to sākṣī-bhāva (witness-consciousness): a contemplative stance central to Purāṇic yoga and compatible with Pāśupata-oriented devotion—meditating on the radiant Lord as the inner seer beyond actions and time.

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

By identifying the praised Supreme with a Śaṅkara-form (śāṅkarī-tanuḥ), it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology where the one Brahman/Iśvara is revered through Śiva (and elsewhere through Viṣṇu/Kūrma), emphasizing unity rather than sectarian separation.