Shloka 18

Commencement of the Upari-bhāga: The Sages Request Brahma-vidyā; Vyāsa Recalls the Badarikā Inquiry and Śiva–Viṣṇu Theophany

Devanagari script

परस्परं विचार्यैते संशयाविष्टचेतसः / तप्तवन्तस्तपो घोरं पुण्ये बदरिकाश्रमे

Transliteration

parasparaṃ vicāryaite saṃśayāviṣṭacetasaḥ / taptavantastapo ghoraṃ puṇye badarikāśrame

Translation

Matapos silang magpayo sa isa’t isa, at ang isip ay sinakmal ng pag-aalinlangan, nagsagawa sila ng mabagsik na pag-aayuno at pagninilay sa banal na āśrama ng Badarikā.

Word by Word

• परस्परम्: mutually/with one another
• परस्परम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• विचार्य: having deliberated
• विचार्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि + √चर् (धातु) + ल्यप् (अव्ययभाव/gerund)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्यय (gerund), 'having deliberated'

• एते: these (sages)
• एते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम (pronoun)

• संशयाविष्टचेतसः: whose minds were possessed by doubt
• संशयाविष्टचेतसः: Karta-anvaya (कर्तृ-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संशय + आविष्ट (आ + √विश् धातु, क्त) + चेतस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—'येषां चेतः संशयेन आविष्टम्' (whose minds are seized by doubt)

• तप्तवन्तः: having practiced (austerity)
• तप्तवन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √तप् (धातु) + क्तवत् (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त (perfect participle), 'having performed austerity'

• तपः: austerity
• तपः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; रूपम्: तपः

• घोरम्: terrible/intense
• घोरम्: Karma-anvaya (कर्म-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying तपः)

• पुण्ये: holy
• पुण्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying आश्रम)

• बदरिकाश्रमे: in the Badarikā hermitage
• बदरिकाश्रमे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बदरिक + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (Locative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—'बदरिकायाः आश्रमः'

Speaker

Narrator (Purana-suta style narration describing the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Badrikashrama
• Sages (Rishis)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it portrays seekers caught in saṃśaya (doubt) turning to tapas in a sacred tirtha—implying that realization of the Self is approached through disciplined purification and sincere inquiry rather than mere speculation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tapas (austerity) as a foundational yogic discipline—an intensification of self-restraint and spiritual effort, classically used to purify the mind and make it fit for higher knowledge (jñāna) and devotion (bhakti) in the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching arc.

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

Not explicitly in this line; however, the setting of holy Badarikā and the sages’ austerities function as the narrative gateway through which the Purana later presents a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis—showing that the same supreme truth is approached through disciplined practice and right understanding.