Shloka 13

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

Devanagari script

हिमवच्छिखरे रम्ये गङ्गाद्वारे सुशोभने / देव्या सह महादेवो नित्यं शिष्यैश्च संवृतः

Transliteration

himavacchikhare ramye gaṅgādvāre suśobhane / devyā saha mahādevo nityaṃ śiṣyaiśca saṃvṛtaḥ

Translation

இமயத்தின் இனிய சிகரத்தில், அழகுற விளங்கும் கங்காத்வாரத்தில், தேவியுடன் மகாதேவர் எப்போதும் தங்கி, சீடர்களால் சூழப்பட்டிருப்பார்.

Word by Word

• हिमवत्-शिखरे: on the peak of Himavat (Himalaya)
• हिमवत्-शिखरे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिमवत् (प्रातिपदिक) + शिखर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्थानवाचक

• रम्ये: beautiful
• रम्ये: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रम्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of शिखरे

• गङ्गाद्वारे: at Gaṅgādvāra (Haridvāra)
• गङ्गाद्वारे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; place-name (Gaṅgādvāra)

• सुशोभने: very splendid
• सुशोभने: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु-शोभन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of गङ्गाद्वारे/स्थान

• देव्याः: with the Goddess (Pārvatī)
• देव्याः: Sahakāraka (सह/सहकारक)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahakāraka (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: सह-अव्यय (preposition-like particle governing instrumental)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक; महा + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverbial accusative)

• शिष्यैः: by/with disciples
• शिष्यैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• संवृतः: surrounded, attended
• संवृतः: Kriya (क्रिया/participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; predicative with mahādevaḥ

Speaker

Narratorial voice within the Purana (describing a sacred geography and Shiva’s abode)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Himavat (Himalaya)
• Gangadvara (Haridvara)
• Ganga
• Mahadeva (Shiva)
• Devi (Parvati)
• Shishyas (disciples)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly, by portraying Mahādeva as the ever-present Lord in a sanctified locus (tīrtha), it points to the Purāṇic idea that the Supreme is constant (nitya) and approachable through sacred space, devotion, and disciplined discipleship.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes the guru-disciple setting—Śiva “surrounded by disciples”—which aligns with Kurma Purana’s broader yogic pedagogy: receiving instruction, practicing disciplined living, and approaching realization through a lineage-based transmission associated with tīrthas like Gangādvāra.

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

By situating Śiva in a prominent Purāṇic narrative space preserved within the Kurma Purana (a Vaiṣṇava-associated Purāṇa), it reinforces the text’s integrative approach: honoring Śiva’s supremacy in his domain while maintaining a shared sacred universe where Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva devotion coexist.