Shloka 6

Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany

Devanagari script

कदाचित् तत्र लीलार्थं देवकीनन्दवर्धनः / भ्राजमानः श्रीया कृष्णश्चचार गिरिकन्दरे

Transliteration

kadācit tatra līlārthaṃ devakīnandavardhanaḥ / bhrājamānaḥ śrīyā kṛṣṇaścacāra girikandare

Translation

กาลครั้งหนึ่ง ณ ที่นั้น เพื่อการลีลาอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์เท่านั้น พระกฤษณะผู้เพิ่มพูนความปีติของเทวคี ผู้รุ่งเรืองด้วยศรีมงคล เสด็จดำเนินท่องไปในถ้ำแห่งภูเขา

Word by Word

• कदाचित्: once, at some time
• कदाचित्: कालाधिकरण (Kāla-adhikaraṇa/Temporal adjunct)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कदाचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb: 'sometimes/once')

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: 'there')

• लीलार्थम्: for (the sake of) play
• लीलार्थम्: प्रयोजन (Prayojana/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: लीलायाः अर्थः) ; क्रियाविशेषणार्थे (accusative of purpose)

• देवकीनन्दवर्धनः: the increaser of Devakī’s joy (Kṛṣṇa)
• देवकीनन्दवर्धनः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवकी + नन्द + वर्धन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष (देवक्याः नन्दस्य वर्धनः)

• भ्राजमानः: shining, resplendent
• भ्राजमानः: कर्ता-विशेषण (Agent qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भ्राज् (धातु) + शानच् (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शानच्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• श्रीया: with splendor/beauty
• श्रीया: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (instrumental: 'with/by splendor')

• कृष्णः: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• चचार: wandered, roamed
• चचार: क्रिया (Kriyā/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: चर् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• गिरिकन्दरे: in a mountain cave
• गिरिकन्दरे: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि + कन्दर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (गिरेः कन्दरम्)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (Sūta/compilers’ narrative voice)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Krishna
• Devaki
• Shri (Lakshmi)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By presenting Kṛṣṇa as self-luminous (bhrājamānaḥ śrīyā) and acting without necessity—only for līlā—it implies a sovereign, complete Reality whose actions do not arise from lack, but from freedom (svātantrya) and auspicious fullness.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No technique is prescribed directly; however, the imagery of the cave and the Lord’s radiant presence supports contemplative themes common in the Kurma Purana—interiorization (guhā/cave symbolism), steady attention, and remembrance (smaraṇa) of the divine as a support for yogic concentration.

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

This specific line centers on Viṣṇu-Kṛṣṇa’s līlā and Śrī; it does not explicitly mention Śiva. In the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis, such līlā-narratives coexist with Śaiva teachings (including Pāśupata-oriented Yoga), presenting a complementary rather than antagonistic theology.