Shloka 16

Mādhayameśvara-māhātmya — Vyāsa at Mandākinī and the Pāśupata Vision

Devanagari script

तद्वदास्माकमव्यक्तं रहस्यं गुह्यमुत्तमम् / क्षिप्रं पश्येम तं देवं श्रुत्वा भगवतो मुखात्

Transliteration

tadvadāsmākamavyaktaṃ rahasyaṃ guhyamuttamam / kṣipraṃ paśyema taṃ devaṃ śrutvā bhagavato mukhāt

Translation

ฉันใดก็ฉันนั้น สำหรับพวกเราก็มีความลับอันไม่ปรากฏ—เร้นลับยิ่งและประเสริฐยิ่งนัก ครั้นได้สดับจากพระโอษฐ์ของภควานแล้ว ขอให้เราพลันได้เห็นเทพองค์นั้นโดยตรงเถิด۔

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karma (कर्म/Object—'that')
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• vada: tell (speak)
• vada: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vad (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष (2nd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• asmākam: of us, our
• asmākam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Genitive plural)

• avyaktam: unmanifest, not explicit
• avyaktam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण of rahasyam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + vyakta (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (रहस्यम्)

• rahasyam: secret
• rahasyam: Karma (कर्म/Object of vada)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rahasya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• guhyam: hidden, confidential
• guhyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (रहस्यम्)

• uttamam: best, highest
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (रहस्यम्)

• kṣipram: quickly
• kṣipram: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kṣipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाववत् क्रियाविशेषण-प्रयोग (adverbial accusative)

• paśyema: may we see
• paśyema: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/Potential), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• tam: that (him)
• tam: Karma (कर्म/Object of paśyema)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• devam: god, the deity
• devam: Karma (कर्म/Apposition to tam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया/Anterior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: śru (धातु) → śrutvā (क्त्वान्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• bhagavataḥ: of the Blessed Lord
• bhagavataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• mukhāt: from (his) mouth
• mukhāt: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Ablative: 'from the mouth')

Speaker

Sages/disciples (petitioning the Blessed Lord for the highest secret and direct vision)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan
• Deva

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling the highest truth “unmanifest” (avyakta) and “supremely hidden” (guhyam uttamam), the verse points to the Atman/Ishvara as beyond ordinary sense-perception, approached through revealed instruction and inner realization rather than external proof.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds śravaṇa—reverent hearing “from the mouth of Bhagavan”—as the gateway to swift divine vision (darśana). In Kurma Purana’s yogic frame, such hearing supports concentration and contemplation that culminate in direct experience of the Lord.

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

It uses inclusive terms like “Bhagavan” and “Deva,” fitting the Kurma Purana’s synthesis where the supreme is one reality approached through different theistic forms—supporting a non-sectarian, unified vision of divinity.