Shloka 43
Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany
आजग्मुर्देवगन्धर्वा द्रष्टुं लोकादिमव्ययम् / महर्षयः पूर्वजाता मार्कण्डेयादयो द्विजाः
ājagmurdevagandharvā draṣṭuṃ lokādimavyayam / maharṣayaḥ pūrvajātā mārkaṇḍeyādayo dvijāḥ
లోకాల ఆదిస్రోతసైన అవ్యయ పరమేశ్వరుణ్ని దర్శించుటకు దేవగంధర్వులు వచ్చారు; అలాగే పూర్వజన్మ మహర్షులు—మార్కండేయాది ద్విజులు—కూడా చేరారు।
Sūta (narrator) describing the gathering of celestial beings and sages
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
By calling the object of vision “lokādi” (source of the worlds) and “avyaya” (imperishable), the verse points to the Supreme as the changeless ground behind cosmic manifestation—an Atman/Brahman reality sought even by gods and sages.
The verse emphasizes darśana—seeking direct vision of the imperishable principle. In Kurma Purana’s wider teaching, such “beholding” is supported by disciplined conduct (dharma), devotion (bhakti), and contemplative steadiness that culminate in realization rather than mere intellectual knowledge.
Though not naming Shiva or Vishnu explicitly, the verse’s focus on the single “imperishable source of the worlds” aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the supreme principle revered across Shaiva and Vaishnava frames is one, approached by many exalted beings.