Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 112

Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany

Devanagari script

श्रुत्वा सकृदपि ह्येतत् तपश्चरणमुत्तमम् / वासुदेवस्य विप्रेन्द्राः पापं मुञ्चिति मानवः

Transliteration

śrutvā sakṛdapi hyetat tapaścaraṇamuttamam / vāsudevasya viprendrāḥ pāpaṃ muñciti mānavaḥ

Translation

اے برہمنوں کے سردارو! واسودیو کے لیے یہ اعلیٰ تپسیا ایک بار بھی سن لی جائے تو انسان گناہ سے چھوٹ جاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• śrutvā: having heard
• śrutvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: śru (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), having heard

• sakṛt: once
• sakṛt: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sakṛt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात)

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle (निपात), emphasis/indeed (निश्चयार्थक)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• tapaḥ-caraṇam: practice of austerity
• tapaḥ-caraṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक) + caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) (tapaś-caraṇam = tapasā caraṇam / tapaḥ-caraṇam), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• uttamam: supreme, excellent
• uttamam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); viśeṣaṇa of tapaḥ-caraṇam

• vāsudevasya: of Vāsudeva
• vāsudevasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• vipra-indrāḥ: O best of Brahmins
• vipra-indrāḥ: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक) + indra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) (viprāṇām indraḥ), Vocative (सम्बोधन/8), Plural (बहुवचन)

• pāpam: sin
• pāpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• muñciti: releases, casts off
• muñciti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्/present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Third person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• mānavaḥ: a man, human
• mānavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mānava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) addressing the sages (viprendrāḥ), within the Kurma Purana’s discourse praising Vāsudeva-oriented dharma and tapas

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies the Lord (Vāsudeva) is the inner purifier: contact with His teaching—through even a single act of śravaṇa—removes pāpa, suggesting liberation begins with turning the mind toward the indwelling Supreme.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights tapaś-caraṇa—disciplined austerity/observance—supported by śravaṇa (hearing). In Kurma Purana’s yoga-dharma frame, purification (pāpa-kṣaya) is a prerequisite for steadiness in meditation and devotion.

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

While explicitly naming Vāsudeva, it fits the Purana’s integrative approach: purification and tapas are shared spiritual means across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths, pointing to one Supreme approached through complementary disciplines.