Shloka 70
Kapālamocana: The Cutting of Brahmā’s Fifth Head, Śiva’s Kāpālika Vow, and Purification in Vārāṇasī
यावद् वाराणसीं दिव्यां पुरीमेष गमिष्यति / तावत् त्वं भीषणे कालमनुगच्छ त्रिलोचनम्
yāvad vārāṇasīṃ divyāṃ purīmeṣa gamiṣyati / tāvat tvaṃ bhīṣaṇe kālamanugaccha trilocanam
அவன் ஒளிமிகு வாராணசி நகரை அடையும் வரை, அந்தப் பயங்கர காலமெல்லாம் நீ மூன்று கண்களுடைய திரிலோசனன் (சிவன்) பின்னே தொடர்ந்து செல்.
Narrator (Purāṇic voice, within the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis)
Primary Rasa: vira
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
FAQs
Indirectly: it frames devotion and guidance through Śiva (Trilocana) within sacred time (kāla) and sacred space (Vārāṇasī), implying that realization is approached through disciplined following of the Lord’s path rather than abstract speculation alone.
The verse emphasizes anugamana—steadfast following/attending upon the Lord—which aligns with Purāṇic bhakti-yoga and Pāśupata-leaning discipline: sustained practice over time (kāla), reverent association with Śiva, and pilgrimage-oriented sādhana leading toward inner purification.
By presenting Śiva (Trilocana) as the authoritative guide to be followed on the way to a supreme tīrtha, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where Śiva is honored as a direct locus of divine guidance without contradicting Vaiṣṇava devotion.