Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 189

Dakṣa’s Progeny, Nṛsiṃha–Varāha Avatāras, and Andhaka’s Defeat

Hari–Hara–Śakti Synthesis

Devanagari script

दंष्ट्राकरालं दिवि नृत्यमानं हुताशवक्त्रं ज्वलनार्करूपम् / सहस्त्रपादाक्षिशिरोभियुक्तं भवन्तमेकं प्रणमामि रुद्रम्

Transliteration

daṃṣṭrākarālaṃ divi nṛtyamānaṃ hutāśavaktraṃ jvalanārkarūpam / sahastrapādākṣiśirobhiyuktaṃ bhavantamekaṃ praṇamāmi rudram

Translation

ข้าพเจ้ากราบนอบน้อมพระรุทระผู้เป็นหนึ่ง ผู้ดุร้ายด้วยเขี้ยว นฤตย์อยู่บนสวรรค์ มีปากเป็นไฟ รูปดุจอาทิตย์อันลุกโชติช่วง และทรงประกอบด้วยเท้า ดวงตา และเศียรนับพัน

Word by Word

• दंष्ट्रा-करालम्: terrible with fangs
• दंष्ट्रा-करालम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दंष्ट्रा (प्रातिपदिक) + कराल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (instrumental/association sense: 'with fangs' → 'fang-terrible'); पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• दिवि: in heaven/in the sky
• दिवि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दिव् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (fem.), सप्तमी (Locative/7th), एकवचन (singular)

• नृत्यमानम्: dancing
• नृत्यमानम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नृत् (धातु) + शानच् (प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (वर्तमानकाले शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय; present participle), पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• हुताश-वक्त्रम्: having a fire-like mouth
• हुताश-वक्त्रम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हुताश (प्रातिपदिक) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'fire' + 'mouth'); पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• ज्वलन-अर्क-रूपम्: having the form of fire and sun
• ज्वलन-अर्क-रूपम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वलन (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्क (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (ज्वलन-अर्क) + तत्पुरुष (रूप as head: form like fire and sun); पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• सहस्त्र-पाद-अक्षि-शिरः-भि-युक्तम्: endowed with a thousand feet, eyes, and heads
• सहस्त्र-पाद-अक्षि-शिरः-भि-युक्तम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक) + पाद (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक) + शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक) + युज् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय)
• Form: बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (determinative: 'with thousand feet, eyes, heads'); कृदन्त (क्त, 'endowed/connected'), पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular)

• भवन्तम्: you
• भवन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); आदरसूचक सर्वनाम (honorific 'you')

• एकम्: one/unique
• एकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); विशेषण of भवन्तम्

• प्रणमामि: I bow to
• प्रणमामि: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपदम्, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (singular)

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masc.), द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (singular); संबोध्य-देवता (object of salutation)

Speaker

A devotee/sage narrating a stuti within the Purva-bhaga (Rudra praised as the one cosmic Lord)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Hutāśa (Fire/Agni)
• Arka (Sun)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling Rudra “eka” (the One) while describing a vast cosmic body, the verse points to a single supreme reality that appears as many forms—an Ishvara-centered non-dual vision where the One Self is worshipped through divine manifestation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It supports īśvara-dhyāna (meditation on the Lord’s cosmic form): fixing attention on Rudra as all-pervading (many eyes/heads/feet) and as inner fire (hutāśa-vaktra). Such visualization aligns with Pāśupata-oriented devotion and concentration (dhāraṇā) leading toward steadiness of mind.

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

Though naming Rudra, it emphasizes “eka” (the One Lord), consistent with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis where sectarian names differ but the supreme Ishvara is one—supporting harmony between Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava theologies.