Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 104

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा समागतं देवं देव्या सह कपर्दिनम् / प्रणेमुः शिरसा भूमौ तोषयामासुरीश्वरम्

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā samāgataṃ devaṃ devyā saha kapardinam / praṇemuḥ śirasā bhūmau toṣayāmāsurīśvaram

Translation

เมื่อเห็นพระกปัรทิน (พระศิวะ) เสด็จมาพร้อมพระเทวี พวกเขาก้มกราบโดยเอาศีรษะแตะพื้นดิน และด้วยการนั้นได้ยังพระอีศวร ผู้เป็นเจ้าแห่งเหล่าเทพ ให้ทรงพอพระทัย

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive); अव्ययभाव

• समागतम्: arrived
• समागतम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्-आ-गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त; पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of devaṃ)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

• देव्या: with the goddess
• देव्या: सहकारक/सह (Associative/Instrumental)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; तृतीया (Instrumental), एकवचन

• सह: together with
• सह: सह (Association)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक-उपसर्गसदृश (preposition-like indeclinable)

• कपर्दिनम्: Kapardin (Śiva)
• कपर्दिनम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; शिवनाम (one with matted hair)

• प्रणेमुः: bowed down
• प्रणेमुः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-नम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (pl)

• शिरसा: with (their) head
• शिरसा: करण (Karaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया, एकवचन

• भूमौ: on the ground
• भूमौ: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूमि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन

• तोषयामासुः: they pleased
• तोषयामासुः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुष् (धातु) [णिच् causative: तोषय]
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative: 'to please')

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta (narrator) describing the scene to the sages (frame narration)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Kapardin)
• Devi (Shakti/Parvati)
• Ishvara

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling Shiva “Īśvara” and showing that reverent surrender pleases Him, the verse implies the Supreme is a personal Lord approachable through devotion; the Atman’s alignment with Īśvara is expressed through humility and prostration.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds bhakti-yoga expressed as praṇāma (prostration) and śaraṇāgati (surrender). In Kurma Purana’s spiritual ethic, such embodied reverence purifies the mind and becomes a preparatory limb for higher contemplation associated with Pāśupata-oriented discipline.

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

Though Vishnu is central to the Kurma Purana frame, this verse honors Shiva as Īśvara, reflecting the text’s non-sectarian synthesis: devotion to Shiva (with Devi) is presented as fully legitimate within a broader Purāṇic unity of the Supreme.