Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 11

Narmadā-tīrtha-māhātmya — Bhṛgu-tīrtha to Sāgara-saṅgama

Pilgrimage Circuit, Gifts, Fasting, and Imperishable Merit

Devanagari script

वसेत् कल्पायुतं साग्रं शिवतुल्यपराक्रमः / कालेन महता जातः पृथिव्यामेकराड् भवेत्

Transliteration

vaset kalpāyutaṃ sāgraṃ śivatulyaparākramaḥ / kālena mahatā jātaḥ pṛthivyāmekarāḍ bhavet

Translation

Taglay ang lakas-loob na kapantay ni Śiva, mananahan siya nang bahagyang higit sa sampung libong kalpa. At paglipas ng napakahabang panahon, muling isisilang sa daigdig at magiging nag-iisang makapangyarihang hari sa lupa.

Word by Word

• वसेत्: should dwell
• वसेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• कल्पायुतम्: ten thousand kalpas
• कल्पायुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + अयुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/मात्रार्थ (कल्पानाम् अयुतम् = ten thousand kalpas)

• स-अग्रम्: and more (with surplus)
• स-अग्रम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; अव्ययीभाव (साग्रम् = with an excess/plus)

• शिव-तुल्य-पराक्रमः: having valor equal to Śiva
• शिव-तुल्य-पराक्रमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + तुल्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पराक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (शिवस्य तुल्यः पराक्रमः यस्य)

• कालेन: by time
• कालेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• महता: great
• महता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (great)

• जातः: born
• जातः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात (प्रातिपदिक; √जन् + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (having been born)

• पृथिव्याम्: on earth
• पृथिव्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पृथिवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• एक-राट्: a sole monarch
• एक-राट्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + राट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (एकः राट् = sole ruler/monarch)

• भवेत्: would become
• भवेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √भू (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing King Indradyumna (context: Śiva-dharma and its fruits)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma (Viṣṇu)
• Śiva
• Pṛthivī (Earth)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly, it teaches that alignment with Īśvara (here, Śiva) yields extraordinary longevity and sovereignty; the deeper purāṇic implication is that grace (anugraha) flows when the individual self lives in harmony with the Lord’s power and order (dharma), though the verse itself emphasizes फल (results) rather than explicit ātma-tattva analysis.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to the फल of Śiva-oriented discipline—typical of Pāśupata-leaning Śaiva practice in the Kūrma Purāṇa—where devotion, observances, and sustained worship culminate in divine-like vigor (śiva-tulya-parākrama) and elevated states of existence; the practice is implied as steady Śiva-bhakti and dharma rather than a specific technique like prāṇāyāma.

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

With Kūrma (Viṣṇu) praising results attained through Śiva, the text models Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava synthesis: devotion to Śiva is affirmed as a supreme path even when taught by Viṣṇu, reinforcing the Purāṇa’s non-sectarian vision of one Īśvara honored through complementary names and forms.