Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 126

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

Devanagari script

केन वा देवमार्गेण संपूज्यो भगवानिह / किं तत् सेव्यमसेव्यं वा सर्वमेतद् ब्रवीहि नः

Transliteration

kena vā devamārgeṇa saṃpūjyo bhagavāniha / kiṃ tat sevyamasevyaṃ vā sarvametad bravīhi naḥ

Translation

Sa anong banal na landas dapat sambahin dito nang ganap ang Mapalad na Panginoon? Ano ang dapat sundin at ano ang dapat iwasan? Ipaalam mo sa amin ang lahat ng ito.

Word by Word

• केन: by what? / by which means?
• केन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/Instrumental), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• देवमार्गेण: by the path/way of the gods
• देवमार्गेण: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + मार्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: देवानां मार्गः); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• संपूज्यः: to be worshipped; worthy of worship
• संपूज्यः: Karya (कार्य/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + पूज् (धातु) → संपूज्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्य/योग्यतार्थक-यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Lord
• भगवान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• इह: here
• इह: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इह (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• किम्: what?
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• सेव्यम्: to be served/practised
• सेव्यम्: Karya (कार्य/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव् (धातु) → सेव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: भाव्य/योग्यतार्थक-यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• असेव्यम्: not to be served; to be avoided
• असेव्यम्: Karya (कार्य/Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अ + सेव् (धातु) → असेव्य (कृदन्त)
• Form: निषेध-उपसर्गयुक्त यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (negative gerundive); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वा: or
• वा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• ब्रवीहि: tell (you)
• ब्रवीहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (imperative), मध्यम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• नः: to us
• नः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-एकवचन बहुवचन-रूप (enclitic); ‘to us/for us’ (dative sense)

Speaker

Sages/disciples (inquiring interlocutors) addressing Lord Kurma (Vishnu) for instruction on dharma and worship

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan (the Supreme Lord)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames the Supreme as “Bhagavān,” the worship-worthy Lord, and shifts the focus to the correct path (devamārga) and ethical discernment (sevya/asevya), implying that realization and devotion require right method and right conduct rather than mere ritualism.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse itself is an inquiry, not a practice-description: it asks for the authoritative “divine path” to worship and the discipline of choosing what is to be practiced vs. avoided—foundational to Kurma Purana’s yoga-oriented instruction (restraint, observances, and scripturally guided sādhana).

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

By addressing the Supreme as “Bhagavān” and asking for the universal “devamārga,” it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the right path of worship and conduct is presented as one coherent dharma, compatible with Shaiva–Vaishnava unity taught elsewhere in the text.