Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

न मे विप्रास्ति कर्तव्यं नानवाप्तं कथञ्चन / पूजयामि तथापीशं जानन्नैतत् परं शिवम्

Transliteration

na me viprāsti kartavyaṃ nānavāptaṃ kathañcana / pūjayāmi tathāpīśaṃ jānannaitat paraṃ śivam

Translation

اے وِپر! میرے لیے کوئی فرض باقی نہیں، اور نہ ہی کوئی شے ایسی ہے جو مجھے حاصل نہ ہوئی ہو؛ پھر بھی میں اُس ربّ کی عبادت کرتا ہوں، اُسے پرم شِو جان کر۔

Word by Word

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (particle of negation/निषेधार्थक-अव्यय)

• me: of me / my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन (Singular)

• viprāḥ: brahmins
• viprāḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); प्रथमा (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन (Plural)

• asti: is
• asti: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• kartavyam: something to be done / duty
• kartavyam: Karma (कर्म/predicate complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṛ (कृ धातु) + tavya (तव्य प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/obligatory); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/negation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• anavāptam: not obtained / unattained
• anavāptam: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier of kartavyam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: an-avāpta (प्रातिपदिक; ava√āp धातु से क्त)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक (negative); क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom./Acc.), एकवचन (Singular)

• kathañcana: in any way; at all
• kathañcana: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: kathañcana (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/कदाचित्-अर्थे (adverb: in any way/at all)

• pūjayāmi: I worship
• pūjayāmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pūj (पूज् धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• tathā: thus; even so
• tathā: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक (adverb: thus/so)

• api: also; even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-कार (particle: also/even)

• īśam: the Lord
• īśam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• jānan: knowing
• jānan: Karta (कर्ता/agent as participial qualifier of aham implied)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमान कृदन्त (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); प्रथमा (Nom.), एकवचन (Singular)

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म/object of jānan)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• param: supreme
• param: Visheshana (विशेषण/modifier of śivam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

• śivam: Śiva
• śivam: Karma (कर्म/object; apposition to īśam)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine); द्वितीया (Accusative/2nd), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

A realized devotee/teacher addressing a brāhmaṇa (vipra) within the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Isha

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies a state of completeness—nothing remains to be achieved—yet worship continues, indicating realization that the Supreme (Śiva/Īśa) is the ultimate reality beyond personal lack or gain.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse stresses niṣkāma-bhakti (desireless devotion) aligned with Yoga-śāstra: even after inner fulfillment, one maintains disciplined worship (pūjā) as steady absorption in Īśvara rather than as a means to worldly attainment.

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

By presenting Īśa as “paraṃ śivam” in a Purāṇic setting known for synthesis, it supports a non-sectarian reading where the Supreme Lord is one—Śiva as the highest principle, harmonized with broader Kurma Purana unity theology.