Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

Vārāṇasī (Avimukta) Māhātmya and the Catalogue of Guhya-Tīrthas

Devanagari script

लौकिकाख्यं महातीर्थं तीर्थं चैव वृषध्वजम् / हिरण्यगर्भं गोप्रेक्ष्यं तीर्थं चैव वृषध्वजम्

Transliteration

laukikākhyaṃ mahātīrthaṃ tīrthaṃ caiva vṛṣadhvajam / hiraṇyagarbhaṃ goprekṣyaṃ tīrthaṃ caiva vṛṣadhvajam

Translation

‘لَوکِکا’ نام کا مہاتیرتھ، اور ‘وِرشَدھوج’ نام کا تیرتھ؛ ‘ہِرَنیہ گربھ’ اور ‘گوپریکشیہ’ بھی تیرتھ ہیں؛ اور اسی طرح ‘وِرشَدھوج’ نام کا تیرتھ بھی ہے۔

Word by Word

• लौकिकाख्यम्: called ‘Laukika’
• लौकिकाख्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लौकिक-आख्य (प्रातिपदिक; लौकिक + आख्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular neuter; विशेषण

• महातीर्थम्: a great pilgrimage place
• महातीर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक; महा + तीर्थ)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular neuter

• तीर्थम्: tīrtha, sacred ford
• तीर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular neuter

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• वृषध्वजम्: Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva; ‘whose banner is the bull’)
• वृषध्वजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष-ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक; वृष + ध्वज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular masculine; (शिवनाम)

• हिरण्यगर्भम्: Hiraṇyagarbha (tīrtha/name)
• हिरण्यगर्भम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य-गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक; हिरण्य + गर्भ)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular masculine

• गोप्रेक्ष्यम्: called ‘Goprekṣya’
• गोप्रेक्ष्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गो-प्रेक्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक; गो + प्रेक्ष्य)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular neuter; विशेषण

• तीर्थम्: tīrtha
• तीर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular neuter

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• वृषध्वजम्: Vṛṣadhvaja (Śiva)
• वृषध्वजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वृष-ध्वज (प्रातिपदिक; वृष + ध्वज)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; accusative singular masculine

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing about tīrthas (pilgrimage geography) to the inquiring sages/King (Purāṇic dialogue frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vṛṣadhvaja
• Hiraṇyagarbha
• Goprekṣya
• Laukikā

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This specific verse is primarily a tīrtha-catalogue verse; it implies the Purāṇic view that sacred places become spiritually potent as supports for remembrance of Īśvara, but it does not directly define Ātman here.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga-technique is taught in this line; its practical instruction is pilgrimage orientation—visiting tīrthas as a dharmic discipline that supports purification (śuddhi) and devotion, which in the Kurma Purana complements later yoga/knowledge teachings.

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

By listing a tīrtha named Vṛṣadhvaja (a Śaiva marker) within a Kurma (Viṣṇu) discourse, the text reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance—Śiva-tattva and Viṣṇu-tattva are honored within a shared dharmic sacred geography.