Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 38

Tīrtha-māhātmya and Rudra’s Samanvaya Teaching

Maṅkaṇaka Episode

Devanagari script

अश्वतीर्थमिति ख्यातं सिद्धावासं सुपावनम् / आस्ते हयशिरा नित्यं तत्र नारायणः स्वयम्

Transliteration

aśvatīrthamiti khyātaṃ siddhāvāsaṃ supāvanam / āste hayaśirā nityaṃ tatra nārāyaṇaḥ svayam

Translation

ఇది ‘అశ్వతీర్థం’ అని ఖ్యాతి; సిద్ధుల నివాసమైన అత్యంత పవిత్ర స్థలం. అక్కడ స్వయంగా నారాయణుడు నిత్యం ‘హయశిరా’ (అశ్వశిరస్సు) రూపంలో నివసించును.

Word by Word

• अश्वतीर्थम्: Aśva-tīrtha (Horse-ford; name of a tīrtha)
• अश्वतीर्थम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अश्व + तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अश्वस्य तीर्थम्)

• इति: thus; called
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/निदर्शनार्थक (quotative particle)

• ख्यातम्: is renowned
• ख्यातम्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ख्या (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि-क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘renowned/known’

• सिद्धावासम्: abode of the Siddhas
• सिद्धावासम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध + आवास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सिद्धानाम् आवासः)

• सुपावनम्: very purifying
• सुपावनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + पावन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-विशेषण

• आस्ते: dwells; remains
• आस्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, आत्मनेपद

• हयशिराः: Hayashiras (the one with a horse-head)
• हयशिराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हय + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (हयस्य शिरः यस्य सः)

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावेन प्रयुक्तम्; कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मवाचक/स्वतन्त्रतावाचक (emphatic ‘himself’)

Speaker

Primary narrator in the tirtha-mahatmya section (Purana narrator addressing the listening sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Aśvatīrtha
• Siddhas
• Nārāyaṇa
• Hayāśiras

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By stating that Nārāyaṇa “Himself” abides there eternally, the verse points to the Supreme as a living, ever-present reality—accessible through sacred space and devotion, not merely as an abstract principle.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tīrtha-sevā (pilgrimage and sacred observance) and siddha-saṅga (orientation to perfected beings). In Kurma Purana practice, such holy places support purification (śuddhi) that becomes a foundation for dhyāna and disciplined yoga.

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

While explicitly Vaiṣṇava (Nārāyaṇa as Hayāśiras), it uses the shared Purāṇic idiom of “siddhāvāsa” and tīrtha-purity prized across Shaiva and Vaiṣṇava traditions—reflecting Kurma Purana’s integrative (non-sectarian) sacred geography.