Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 32

Dāna-dharma: Types of Charity, Worthy Recipients, Vrata-Timings, and Śiva–Viṣṇu Propitiation

Devanagari script

द्विजैः कृष्णचतुर्दश्यां कृष्णाष्टम्यां विशेषतः / अमावास्यायां भक्तैस्तु पूजनीयस्त्रिलोचनः

Transliteration

dvijaiḥ kṛṣṇacaturdaśyāṃ kṛṣṇāṣṭamyāṃ viśeṣataḥ / amāvāsyāyāṃ bhaktaistu pūjanīyastrilocanaḥ

Translation

Dapat sambahin ng mga dwija si Trilocana (Śiva) sa ika-labing-apat ng madilim na kalahati (kṛṣṇa-caturdaśī) at, higit sa lahat, sa ika-walo (kṛṣṇāṣṭamī); at sa araw ng amāvāsyā (bagong buwan), dapat din Siyang sambahin ng mga deboto.

Word by Word

• द्विजैः: by the twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्तृकरणभावे (by the brāhmaṇas)

• कृष्ण-चतुर्दश्याम्: on the dark fourteenth
• कृष्ण-चतुर्दश्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + चतुर्दशी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• कृष्ण-अष्टम्याम्: on the dark eighth
• कृष्ण-अष्टम्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + अष्टमी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• विशेषतः: particularly
• विशेषतः: Kriya-visheshaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb: particularly)

• अमावास्यायाम्: on the new-moon day
• अमावास्यायाम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमावास्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; कालाधिकरण

• भक्तैः: by devotees
• भक्तैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन; कर्तृकरणभावे (by devotees)

• तु: indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्धक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/but)

• पूजनीयः: worthy to be worshipped
• पूजनीयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूजनीय (प्रातिपदिक; पूज् धातोः अनीयर्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive: to be worshipped)

• त्रि-लोचनः: the three-eyed one (Śiva)
• त्रि-लोचनः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + लोचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः—‘यस्य त्रयः लोचनानि सः’ (one who has three eyes)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing sages/seekers on Śaiva observances within a Śiva–Viṣṇu synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Trilocana (Shiva)
• Dvija (twice-born)
• Amavasya
• Krishna Chaturdashi
• Krishna Ashtami

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It does so indirectly: by prescribing worship of Trilocana on sacred tithis, the verse treats Śiva as a supreme, worthy object of devotion—consistent with the Kurma Purana’s tendency to present the highest reality through īśvara-bhakti rather than abstract definition in this passage.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes vrata-style discipline—timed worship aligned with lunar tithis (kṛṣṇa-caturdaśī, kṛṣṇāṣṭamī, amāvāsyā). In the Kurma Purana’s spiritual pedagogy, such regulated observance supports purification (śuddhi), steadiness (niyama), and devotional concentration that can complement Pāśupata-oriented practice.

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

With Viṣṇu (as Lord Kūrma) teaching the worship of Śiva (Trilocana), the text models harmony rather than rivalry—an explicit Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava integration where devotion to Śiva is affirmed within a Vaiṣṇava narrative voice.