Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 124

Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching

Iśvara-Gītā Prelude

Devanagari script

धन्यं यशस्यामायुष्यं पुण्यं मोक्षप्रदं नृणाम् / पुराणश्रवणं विप्राः कथनं च विशेषतः

Transliteration

dhanyaṃ yaśasyāmāyuṣyaṃ puṇyaṃ mokṣapradaṃ nṛṇām / purāṇaśravaṇaṃ viprāḥ kathanaṃ ca viśeṣataḥ

Translation

اے وِپرو! انسانوں کے لیے پرانوں کا سننا—اور خاص طور پر ان کا بیان کرنا—باعثِ سعادت، ناموری بخش، عمر افزا، ثواب آور اور موکش دینے والا ہے۔

Word by Word

• धन्यम्: blessed/fortunate
• धन्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nom./Acc. singular (as predicate adjective)

• यशस्यम्: fame-giving
• यशस्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: यशस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nom./Acc. singular ‘fame-giving’

• आयुष्यम्: life-prolonging
• आयुष्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आयुष्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nom./Acc. singular ‘life-promoting’

• पुण्यम्: meritorious
• पुण्यम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nom./Acc. singular ‘meritorious’

• मोक्षप्रदम्: liberation-giving
• मोक्षप्रदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोक्ष + प्रद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nom./Acc. singular ‘granting liberation’

• नृणाम्: of people
• नृणाम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural ‘of men/people’

• पुराणश्रवणम्: hearing the Purāṇa
• पुराणश्रवणम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण + श्रवण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nom./Acc. singular ‘hearing of the Purāṇa’

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Vocative plural ‘O brāhmaṇas’

• कथनम्: telling/reciting
• कथनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कथन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Nom./Acc. singular ‘telling/recitation’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय; conjunction ‘and’

• विशेषतः: especially
• विशेषतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विशेषतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण ‘especially/particularly’

Speaker

Sūta (traditional Purāṇic narrator) addressing the assembled Brāhmaṇa sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Purāṇa
• Vipra (Brāhmaṇa)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It does so indirectly: by declaring Purāṇic śravaṇa and kathana as “mokṣa-prada,” it implies that right knowledge transmitted through sacred narration becomes a means to liberation—awakening discernment that culminates in realization of the Self beyond bondage.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds śravaṇa (listening) and kathana/pravacana (teaching) as primary disciplines of spiritual practice—foundational to the Purāṇic-Yogic path where sustained hearing, reflection, and instruction purify the mind and prepare one for deeper yoga such as dhyāna and īśvara-bhakti.

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

By praising Purāṇic transmission as a direct means to mokṣa, it supports the Kurma Purana’s integrative approach: liberation is accessed through the shared dharma-teaching tradition that accommodates both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva revelations, rather than insisting on sectarian exclusivity.