Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Kapardeśvara at Piśācamocana — Liberation of a Piśāca and the Brahmapāra Hymn

Devanagari script

तेषां प्रोवाच भगवान् देवाग्रे चोपविश्य सः / कपर्देशस्य माहात्म्यं प्रणम्य वृषभध्वजम्

Transliteration

teṣāṃ provāca bhagavān devāgre copaviśya saḥ / kapardeśasya māhātmyaṃ praṇamya vṛṣabhadhvajam

Translation

Então o Senhor Bem-aventurado, assentando-se na presença dos deuses, falou-lhes e proclamou a grandeza de Kapardeśa, após reverenciar o Senhor do estandarte do Touro (Śiva).

Word by Word

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; demonstrative pronoun

• provāca: said / spoke forth
• provāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vac (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada; from √vac with prefix pra-

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• deva-agre: in the presence of the gods
• deva-agre: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + agra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष: devānām agre = in front of the gods / in the divine assembly

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• upaviśya: having sat down
• upaviśya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa√viś (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from √viś with prefix upa-; prior action

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Pronoun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• kapardeśasya: of Kapardeśa
• kapardeśasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapardeśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; place/name stem

• māhātmyam: glory
• māhātmyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māhātmya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• praṇamya: having bowed to
• praṇamya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√nam (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from √nam with prefix pra-

• vṛṣabha-dhvajam: the bull-bannered one (Śiva)
• vṛṣabha-dhvajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛṣabha (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; बहुव्रीहि: vṛṣabho dhvajo yasya = he whose banner is a bull (Śiva)

Speaker

Bhagavan (Lord Vishnu/Lord Kurma as narrator within the Purana’s dialogue frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Kapardeśa
• Vṛṣabhadhvaja (Shiva)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By depicting the Blessed Lord honoring Śiva before teaching, the verse signals the Purana’s non-sectarian vision: the Supreme is one, revered through multiple divine forms, and true instruction begins with humility and devotion.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds bhakti and śaraṇāgati (reverential surrender) as the inner discipline preceding sacred teaching—an attitude aligned with Purāṇic yoga where devotion and right orientation of mind prepare one for higher knowledge.

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

Vishnu (as Bhagavan) bows to Śiva (Vṛṣabhadhvaja), presenting them as mutually venerable manifestations within a single sacred order—an explicit Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis characteristic of the Kurma Purana.