Shloka 52

Kapālamocana: The Cutting of Brahmā’s Fifth Head, Śiva’s Kāpālika Vow, and Purification in Vārāṇasī

Devanagari script

ॐ नमो ब्रह्मणे तुभ्यं विद्यायै ते नमो नमः / नमो मूलप्रकृतये महेशाय नमो नमः

Transliteration

oṃ namo brahmaṇe tubhyaṃ vidyāyai te namo namaḥ / namo mūlaprakṛtaye maheśāya namo namaḥ

Translation

โอม ขอนอบน้อมแด่พระองค์ในฐานะพรหมัน; ขอนอบน้อมแด่วิทยาอันศักดิ์สิทธิ์ของพระองค์ครั้งแล้วครั้งเล่า. ขอนอบน้อมแด่มูลปรกฤติ; ขอนอบน้อมแด่มเหศะครั้งแล้วครั้งเล่า

Word by Word

• oṃ: Oṃ
• oṃ: Sambodhana/Invocation (आह्वान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: oṃ (अव्यय/प्रणव)
• Form: Sacred syllable (प्रणव), indeclinable

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: Indeclinable particle of salutation

• brahmaṇe: to Brahman
• brahmaṇe: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dative (4th), Singular

• tubhyam: to you
• tubhyam: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Dative (4th), Singular

• vidyāyai: to Vidyā (knowledge/goddess)
• vidyāyai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dative (4th), Singular

• te: to you
• te: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun, Dative (4th), Singular; enclitic form

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: Indeclinable particle; repetition for emphasis

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: Indeclinable particle; repetition for emphasis

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: Indeclinable particle

• mūlaprakṛtaye: to the root-nature (primordial Prakṛti)
• mūlaprakṛtaye: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक) + prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dative (4th), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: 'mūlasya prakṛtiḥ'

• maheśāya: to Maheśa
• maheśāya: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: Indeclinable particle; repetition for emphasis

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namaḥ (अव्यय/निपात)
• Form: Indeclinable particle; repetition for emphasis

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context, expressed as a doxology praising the one Supreme through Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Vidyā
• Mūla-Prakṛti
• Mahēśa (Shiva)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By saluting the same Reality as “Brahman” and as the Lord (Mahēśa), the verse points to one Supreme principle that transcends names—known as the Absolute and worshipped as Īśvara.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse functions as a mantra-like salutation (namas) used for bhakti-yoga and dhyāna: steadying the mind by contemplating Īśvara as both transcendent Brahman and immanent power (Vidyā/Prakṛti), aligning with Pāśupata-style God-centered meditation.

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

It presents a non-sectarian synthesis: the Supreme is praised as Brahman and as Mahēśa, consistent with the Kurma Purana’s Ishvara Gita tendency to affirm unity of divine lordship beyond exclusive Shaiva or Vaishnava boundaries.