Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2

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

Devanagari script

अपश्यंस्तं महात्मानं कैलासगिरिवासिनः / पूजयाञ्चक्रिरे कृष्णं देवदेवमथाच्युतम्

Transliteration

apaśyaṃstaṃ mahātmānaṃ kailāsagirivāsinaḥ / pūjayāñcakrire kṛṣṇaṃ devadevamathācyutam

Translation

Nang makita ng mga naninirahan sa Bundok Kailāsa ang dakilang Mahātmā na iyon, agad nilang isinagawa ang pagsamba kay Kṛṣṇa—ang Diyos ng mga diyos, ang di-nasisirang Acyuta.

Word by Word

• apaśyan: saw
• apaśyan: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paś (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; रूपम्—अपश्यन्/अपश्यन्(त्) (they saw)

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• mahātmānam: the great-souled one
• mahātmānam: Karma (कर्म—समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारयसमासः—महान् आत्मा

• kailāsagirivāsinaḥ: the residents of Mount Kailāsa
• kailāsagirivāsinaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kailāsa-giri-vāsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः—कैलासगिरौ वासिनः (dwellers on Mount Kailāsa)

• pūjayā: with worship
• pūjayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūjā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• cakrire: performed / did
• cakrire: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• kṛṣṇam: Kṛṣṇa
• kṛṣṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛṣṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• devadevam: the God of gods
• devadevam: Karma (कर्म—समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—देवानां देवः (god of gods)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसंयोजक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/समुच्चयार्थक (then/and)

• acyutam: Acyuta (the infallible one)
• acyutam: Karma (कर्म—समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: acyuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) describing the scene to the sages (Naimiṣāraṇya frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kailasa
• Kṛṣṇa
• Acyuta
• Devadeva

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling the Lord “mahātmā” and “acyuta,” the verse points to a supreme, unfailing divine reality worthy of direct vision (darśana) and worship—suggesting a stable, transcendent ground beyond change.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes darśana and pūjā (reverent worship) as a devotional discipline—an outward form of yoga that steadies attention on the imperishable Lord and aligns the practitioner with dharma through reverence and surrender.

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

Kailāsa—classically Śiva’s abode—honors Kṛṣṇa as “Devadeva” and “Acyuta,” reflecting the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance where Śaiva space and Vaiṣṇava supremacy converge in a single Supreme.