Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Mādhayameśvara-māhātmya — Vyāsa at Mandākinī and the Pāśupata Vision

Devanagari script

प्रविश्य शिष्यप्रवरैः सार्धं सत्यवतीसुतः / मध्यमेश्वरमीशानमर्चयामास शूलिनम्

Transliteration

praviśya śiṣyapravaraiḥ sārdhaṃ satyavatīsutaḥ / madhyameśvaramīśānamarcayāmāsa śūlinam

Translation

پھر ستیہ وتی کے پتر (ویاس) اپنے برگزیدہ شاگردوں کے ساتھ اندر داخل ہو کر مدھیَمیشور—ایشان، ترشول دھاری شُولِن—کی ارچنا کرنے لگا۔

Word by Word

• प्रविश्य: having entered
• प्रविश्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (gerund/अव्ययभाव), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having entered)

• शिष्यप्रवरैः: with the best disciples
• शिष्यप्रवरैः: Sahakaraka (सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य + प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—शिष्येषु प्रवराः (the foremost among disciples)

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakaraka (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सह-अर्थक/particle: 'together with')

• सत्यवतीसुतः: son of Satyavatī (Vyāsa)
• सत्यवतीसुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यवती + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सत्यवत्याः सुतः (son of Satyavatī)

• मध्यमेश्वरम्: Madhyameśvara (a form/place-name of Śiva)
• मध्यमेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा (देवस्थान/लिङ्गनाम)

• ईशानम्: Īśāna (Śiva)
• ईशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिवनाम; अप्पोजिशन (मध्यमेश्वरम्)

• अर्चयामास: worshipped
• अर्चयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शूलिनम्: the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• शूलिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिवनाम ('trident-bearer')

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing Vyāsa’s actions within the Kurma Purana’s tirtha-devotion context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vyasa
• Satyavati
• Madhyameshvara
• Ishana
• Shulin (Shiva)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By presenting Īśāna (Śiva) as the worship-worthy Lord approached by Vyāsa, the verse points to the Purāṇic view that the Supreme is accessed through īśvara-bhakti—reverent worship that steadies the mind toward the highest Reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice implied is īśvara-upāsanā (devotional worship of the Lord) performed in the company of disciplined disciples—an outer form supporting inner yoga: concentration, purity, and surrender, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Pashupata devotional ethos.

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

Though centered on Śiva (Īśāna, Śūlin), it is situated within a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa, showing the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: reverence to Śiva functions as reverence to the Supreme, harmonizing Shaiva and Vaishnava devotion.