Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Divine Abodes on the Mountains — A Sacred Survey of Jambūdvīpa

Kailāsa to Siddha Realms

Devanagari script

मन्दाकिनी तत्र दिव्या रम्या सुविमलोदका / नदी नानाविधैः पद्मैरनेकैः समलङ्कृता

Transliteration

mandākinī tatra divyā ramyā suvimalodakā / nadī nānāvidhaiḥ padmairanekaiḥ samalaṅkṛtā

Translation

Ali corre o Mandākinī—divino e encantador—de águas extremamente puras. Esse rio é belamente ornado por muitos lótus de diversas espécies.

Word by Word

• मन्दाकिनी: Mandākinī (river)
• मन्दाकिनी: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मन्दाकिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Locative sense/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb: ‘there’)

• दिव्या: divine
• दिव्या: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘मन्दाकिनी’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• रम्या: lovely
• रम्या: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण

• सु-विमल-उदका: with very pure water
• सु-विमल-उदका: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + विमल (प्रातिपदिक) + उदक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘मन्दाकिनी’ इत्यस्य विशेषण; उदक-बहुलार्थे (having very pure water)

• नदी: river
• नदी: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘मन्दाकिनी’ इत्यस्य समानाधिकरण (apposition)

• नाना-विधैः: with various kinds (of)
• नाना-विधैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय) + विध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘पद्मैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण; नाना- इति अव्ययीभाव (various kinds)

• पद्मैः: by lotuses
• पद्मैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘समलङ्कृता’ इत्यस्य करण

• अनेकैः: many
• अनेकैः: विशेषण (करण-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनेक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; ‘पद्मैः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• समलङ्कृता: adorned
• समलङ्कृता: विधेय-विशेषण (Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + अलङ्कृ (धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/कर्मणि प्रयोग (past passive participle: ‘adorned’); ‘नदी/मन्दाकिनी’ इत्यस्य विधेय-विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice describing the tīrtha; traditionally within the Kurma Purana’s dialogue frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mandakini
• Nadi
• Padma (Lotus)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing extraordinary purity (suvimala) and sacred beauty, the verse supports the Purāṇic idea that tīrthas function as outer symbols for inner purification—preparing the mind for Self-knowledge (ātma-jñāna).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit technique is taught in this verse; however, it frames a tīrtha-setting where practices like स्नान (ritual bathing), जप (mantra repetition), and ध्यान (meditation) are traditionally undertaken to cultivate śauca (purity) and steadiness—foundational to Yoga-shāstra disciplines.

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

This particular verse is descriptive and does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; it contributes to the shared Purāṇic sacred-geography framework in which both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava traditions honor tīrthas as supports for purification and devotion.