Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Oṅkāra-Liṅga and the Secret Pañcāyatana Liṅgas of Kāśī: Kṛttivāseśvara-Māhātmya

Devanagari script

ज्ञात्वा कलियुगं घोरमधर्मबहुलं जनाः / कृत्तिवासं न मुञ्चन्ति कृतार्थास्ते न संशयः

Transliteration

jñātvā kaliyugaṃ ghoramadharmabahulaṃ janāḥ / kṛttivāsaṃ na muñcanti kṛtārthāste na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

کَلی یُگ کو ہولناک اور اَدھرم سے بھرپور جان کر لوگ کِرتّیواس کو نہیں چھوڑتے؛ وہ بے شک اپنے مقصد میں کامیاب ہوتے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• ज्ञात्वा: having known
• ज्ञात्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund, क्त्वा); ‘having known’

• कलि-युगम्: the Kali age
• कलि-युगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक) + युग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (age of Kali)

• घोरम्: terrible
• घोरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घोर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण of ‘कलियुगम्’

• अधर्म-बहुलम्: full of unrighteousness
• अधर्म-बहुलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अधर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + बहुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (abounding in adharma) विशेषण of ‘कलियुगम्’

• जनाः: people
• जनाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कृत्ति-वासम्: Kṛttivāsa
• कृत्ति-वासम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + वास (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (name: Kṛttivāsa)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक (negation particle)

• मुञ्चन्ति: they abandon/leave
• मुञ्चन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन

• कृत-अर्थाः: fulfilled, successful
• कृत-अर्थाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत (कृ धातु + क्त) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः (whose purpose is accomplished) विशेषण of ‘जनाः’

• ते: they, those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘those (people)’

• न: no, not
• न: Sambandha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेधार्थक

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘(there is) doubt’ (elliptic अस्ति)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice) praising devotion to Śiva (Kṛttivāsa) as a sure refuge in Kali-yuga

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kṛttivāsa (Śiva)
• Kali-yuga
• Dharma/Adharma

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By declaring unwavering refuge in Kṛttivāsa as “kṛtārtha” (goal-fulfilled), the verse implies that in Kali-yuga liberation is effectively secured through single-pointed devotion to Īśvara—pointing to the Atman’s fulfillment through God-realization rather than mere external ritual.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice emphasized is steadiness (ananyatā/niṣṭhā): not “letting go” of the Lord. In Kurma Purana’s Śaiva-Pāśupata tone, this aligns with continuous remembrance (smaraṇa), mantra-japa, and disciplined conduct that preserves dharma amid Kali-yuga’s adharma.

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

Though naming Śiva as Kṛttivāsa, the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis treats devotion to Īśvara as a unified path: steadfast worship of the Lord—whether spoken as Śiva or Viṣṇu—functions as the same liberating refuge, especially in Kali-yuga.