Shloka 98

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

Devanagari script

त्रिधा भिन्नो ऽस्म्यहं विष्णो ब्रह्मविष्णुहराख्यया / सर्गरक्षालयगुणैर्निर्गुणो ऽपि निरञ्जनः

Transliteration

tridhā bhinno 'smyahaṃ viṣṇo brahmaviṣṇuharākhyayā / sargarakṣālayaguṇairnirguṇo 'pi nirañjanaḥ

Translation

โอ้พระวิษณุ ด้วยหน้าที่และคุณแห่งการสร้าง การธำรง และการทำลาย ข้าถูกกล่าวว่าเป็นสามนามคือ พรหมา วิษณุ และหระ; แต่โดยสภาวะจริง ข้าเป็นนิรคุณะ และยังนิรัญชนะ—ปราศจากมลทิน

Word by Word

• tridhā: in three ways
• tridhā: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tridhā (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (संख्याविशेषण-क्रियाविशेषण) = indeclinable adverb ‘in three ways’

• bhinnaḥ: divided, differentiated
• bhinnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √bhid (धातु) + kta (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (अहम्)

• asmi: am
• asmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• viṣṇo: O Viṣṇu
• viṣṇo: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8th), एकवचन

• brahma-viṣṇu-hara-ākhyayā: by the appellation ‘Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Hara’
• brahma-viṣṇu-hara-ākhyayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman + viṣṇu + hara + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (ब्रह्मा च विष्णुश्च हरश्च) + ākhyā ‘name’; करण-भावे

• sarga-rakṣā-laya-guṇaiḥ: by the qualities of creation, protection, and dissolution
• sarga-rakṣā-laya-guṇaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga + rakṣā + laya + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (सर्गश्च रक्षाच लयश्च) + guṇa; करण-भावे

• nirguṇaḥ: without qualities
• nirguṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्/निर्-तत्पुरुष (गुणाः न सन्ति यस्य)

• api: even, though
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात/समुच्चय) = particle ‘even/also’

• nirañjanaḥ: stainless, untainted
• nirañjanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir + añjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; नञ्/निर्-तत्पुरुष (अञ्जनं/मलः न यस्य)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching the unity of the Supreme across Brahma–Vishnu–Hara functions

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Brahma
• Hara (Shiva)
• Trimurti

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Supreme is ultimately nirguṇa and nirañjana (beyond qualities and unstained), while appearing as distinct divine roles through the operative functions of creation, preservation, and dissolution.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports a contemplative approach central to Purāṇic Yoga: meditate on the one Reality behind changing guṇas and cosmic functions, cultivating detachment from attributes (nirguṇa-bhāvanā) and steadiness in the pure Self.

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

It presents Śiva (Hara) and Viṣṇu as non-separate manifestations of one stainless Supreme, differentiated only by cosmic functions—an explicit Shaiva–Vaishnava harmonization characteristic of the Kūrma Purāṇa.