Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 2

Kapardeśvara at Piśācamocana — Liberation of a Piśāca and the Brahmapāra Hymn

Devanagari script

स्नात्वा तत्र विधानेन तर्पयित्वा पितॄन् द्विजाः / पिशाचमोचने तीर्थे पूजयामास शूलिनम्

Transliteration

snātvā tatra vidhānena tarpayitvā pitṝn dvijāḥ / piśācamocane tīrthe pūjayāmāsa śūlinam

Translation

وہاں مقررہ وِدھی کے مطابق غسل کر کے اور پِتروں کو ترپن دے کر، دِوِجوں نے ‘پِشَچ موچن’ تیرتھ میں شُولِن (ترشول دھاری شِو) کی پوجا کی۔

Word by Word

• snātvā: having bathed
• snātvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √snā (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); पूर्वकालिक—स्नानं कृत्वा (having bathed)

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• vidhānena: by the prescribed rite
• vidhānena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• tarpayitvā: having satisfied (with offerings)
• tarpayitvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √tṛp (धातु) [causative: tarpay-]
• Form: णिच्-प्रयोजक (causative) + क्त्वा (gerund); पूर्वकालिक—तर्पणं कृत्वा (having satisfied/offered libations)

• pitṝn: the ancestors
• pitṝn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• dvijāḥ: the twice-born (Brahmins)
• dvijāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvija (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• piśāca-mocane: at (the place called) Piśācamocana
• piśāca-mocane: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: piśāca (प्रातिपदिक) + mocana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः—पिशाचानां मोचनम् (deliverance from piśācas)

• tīrthe: at the sacred ford
• tīrthe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pūjayāmāsa: worshipped
• pūjayāmāsa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pūj (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परिप्रयोगः—आमास-आगम (periphrastic perfect style)

• śūlinam: the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• śūlinam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūlin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration, traditionally Sūta/Vyāsa framework)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Pitrs
• Dvijas
• Pishachamocana Tirtha
• Shiva (Shulin)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it presents dharmic purification (snāna) and ancestral offerings (pitṛ-tarpaṇa) as preparatory disciplines that steady the mind and refine saṁskāra—supporting later realization-oriented teachings where inner purity becomes a basis for knowledge of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes ritual discipline rather than seated meditation: tīrtha-snānā (purificatory bathing), pitṛ-tarpaṇa (ancestral libations), and īśvara-pūjā (worship of Śiva). In Purāṇic yoga-dharma, these are karmayoga-style purifications that support higher sādhana.

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

Within the Kurma Purana’s integrative theology, even when the narrative voice is Vaiṣṇava-leaning, sacred action culminates in reverence to Śiva (Śūlin). This reflects the text’s Shaiva–Vaishnava harmony: tīrtha-dharma and īśvara-bhakti converge rather than compete.