Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

Viṣṇu at Upamanyu’s Āśrama: Pāśupata Tapas, Darśana of Śiva, and Boons from Devī

Devanagari script

तदान्वपश्यद् गिरिशस्य वामे स्वात्मानमव्यक्तमनन्तरूपम् / स्तुवन्तमीशं बहुभिर्वचोभिः शङ्खासिचक्रार्पितहस्तमाद्यम्

Transliteration

tadānvapaśyad giriśasya vāme svātmānamavyaktamanantarūpam / stuvantamīśaṃ bahubhirvacobhiḥ śaṅkhāsicakrārpitahastamādyam

Translation

แล้วเขาได้เห็น ณ เบื้องซ้ายของคิรีศะ (ศิวะ) คืออาตมันของตนเอง—ผู้ไม่ปรากฏ ผู้มีรูปอนันต์—กำลังสรรเสริญพระอีศวรด้วยถ้อยคำมากมาย; อาทิบุรุษผู้มีพระหัตถ์ถือสังข์ ดาบ และจักร

Word by Word

• तदा: then
• तदा: कालाधिकरण (Temporal locus/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (then)

• अनु: after, following
• अनु: सम्बन्ध (Particle/अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अनु (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (prefix/adverbial)

• अपश्यत्: he saw
• अपश्यत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √पश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गिरिशस्य: of Girīśa (Śiva)
• गिरिशस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive-relation/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरिश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वामे: on the left (side)
• वामे: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (locative)

• स्व: own
• स्व: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद; (स्वात्मानम्)

• आत्मानम्: his own self
• आत्मानम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (स्वः आत्मा), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अव्यक्तम्: unmanifest
• अव्यक्तम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-विशेषण, पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अनन्त: endless
• अनन्त: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समासपूर्वपद

• रूपम्: form; having infinite forms
• रूपम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (अनन्तं रूपं यस्य/अनन्तरूपम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणार्थे

• स्तुवन्तम्: praising
• स्तुवन्तम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √स्तु (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (शतृ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ईशम्: the Lord
• ईशम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• बहुभिः: with many
• बहुभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण

• वचोभिः: words
• वचोभिः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• शङ्ख: conch
• शङ्ख: सम्बन्ध (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• असि: sword
• असि: सम्बन्ध (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• चक्र: discus
• चक्र: सम्बन्ध (Relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; समासाङ्ग

• अर्पित: placed/held
• अर्पित: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्पि/√अर्प् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• हस्तम्: hand
• हस्तम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (…हस्तम् इति बहुव्रीह्यर्थे)

• आद्यम्: primeval, first
• आद्यम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आद्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing a visionary theophany; Shaiva–Vaishnava non-dual framing)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Girisha (Shiva)
• Isha (Ishvara)
• Unmanifest Self (Avyakta Atman)
• Conch (Shankha)
• Sword (Asi)
• Discus (Chakra)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the highest Self as avyakta (unmanifest) yet anantarūpa (capable of infinite manifestations), indicating a transcendent reality that also appears through divine forms.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes darśana (direct inner vision) and stuti (focused praise) as contemplative disciplines—devotional concentration that culminates in perceiving Īśvara beyond form while recognizing His manifested symbols.

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

By placing the Unmanifest Self on Śiva’s left side while bearing Vaiṣṇava emblems (conch and discus), it presents a synthetic, non-sectarian teaching: one Īśvara appearing through Śiva–Viṣṇu unity.