Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 91

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

Devanagari script

अथोवाच महादेवः प्रीतो ऽहं सुरसत्तमौ / पश्येतं मां महादेवं भयं सर्वं प्रमुच्यताम्

Transliteration

athovāca mahādevaḥ prīto 'haṃ surasattamau / paśyetaṃ māṃ mahādevaṃ bhayaṃ sarvaṃ pramucyatām

Translation

تب مہادیو نے فرمایا—اے دیوتاؤں کے برگزیدہو، میں خوشنود ہوں۔ مجھے، مہادیو کو، دیکھو؛ اور ہر طرح کا خوف بالکل دور ہو جائے۔

Word by Word

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connecting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse particle (अनन्तरार्थक/आरम्भसूचक अव्यय)

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (वच् धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), Prathama-puruṣa (प्रथमपुरुष), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• mahādevaḥ: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• mahādevaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga (पुंलिङ्ग), Prathamā vibhakti (प्रथमा/nom.), Ekavacana (एकवचन)

• prītaḥ: pleased
• prītaḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्तृसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prī (प्री धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Kta-participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; predicate adjective

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma (सर्वनाम), Prathamā, Ekavacana

• surasattamau: O best of the gods (you two)
• surasattamau: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura + sattama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Sambodhana vibhakti (सम्बोधन/voc.), Dvivacana (द्विवचन); sattama = superlative

• paśyatam: behold (you two)
• paśyatam: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, imperative), Parasmaipada, Madhyama-puruṣa (मध्यमपुरुष), Dvivacana

• mām: me
• mām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Dvitīyā vibhakti (द्वितीया/acc.), Ekavacana

• mahādevam: Mahādeva
• mahādevam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; apposition to mām

• bhayam: fear
• bhayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• sarvam: all
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसकलिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; modifies bhayam

• pramucyatām: let (it) be completely released
• pramucyatām: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra + muc (मुच् धातु)
• Form: Loṭ (लोट्, imperative/benedictive sense), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), Prathama-puruṣa, Ekavacana; passive/impersonal: ‘let it be released’

Speaker

Shiva (Mahadeva)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Mahadeva)
• Devas (Suras)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By linking fearlessness to the direct vision of Mahādeva, the verse implies that true security comes from realizing the divine presence as the innermost refuge beyond change—an Atman-centered, grace-supported liberation from भय (bhaya).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to darśana—steadfast contemplative “seeing” of the Lord—as a practical spiritual method: sustained attention, devotion, and inner recollection culminating in abhaya (fearlessness), a key fruit aligned with Pāśupata-oriented surrender and divine anugraha.

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

While speaking in a Shaiva voice, the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis treats such divine assurance as a universal function of Īśvara: fear is removed through the Lord’s grace, harmonizing Shaiva devotion with the Purana’s Vishnu-centered framework.