Shloka 25

Divine Abodes on the Mountains — A Sacred Survey of Jambūdvīpa

Kailāsa to Siddha Realms

Devanagari script

गजशैले तु दुर्गाया भवनं मणितारणम् / आस्ते भगवती दुर्गा तत्र साक्षान्महेश्वरी

Transliteration

gajaśaile tu durgāyā bhavanaṃ maṇitāraṇam / āste bhagavatī durgā tatra sākṣānmaheśvarī

Translation

گجشَیل پر دُرگا کا جواہرات سے آراستہ بھون ہے۔ وہاں بھگوتی دُرگا خود مہیشوری کے روپ میں جلوہ گر ہے۔

Word by Word

• गज-शैले: on/in the Elephant-mountain (Gajaśaila)
• गज-शैले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गज (प्रातिपदिक) + शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष (गजस्य शैलः)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) indicating contrast/emphasis

• दुर्गायाः: of Durgā
• दुर्गायाः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• भवनम्: the dwelling/house
• भवनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• मणि-तारणम्: adorned/covered with jewels
• मणि-तारणम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मणि (प्रातिपदिक) + तारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; तत्पुरुष (मणिभिः तारणम्/मणिमय-तारणम्) used adjectivally to भवनम्

• आस्ते: sits/dwells
• आस्ते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आस् (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person, Singular; Ātmanepada

• भगवती: the blessed goddess
• भगवती: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• दुर्गा: Durgā
• दुर्गा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Desha-adhikarana (देश-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• साक्षात्: directly, in person
• साक्षात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/particle (अव्यय) meaning ‘directly, manifestly’

• महेश्वरी: Mahēśvarī (consort/power of Mahēśvara)
• महेश्वरी: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक) + ई (स्त्रीप्रत्यय)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; feminine of महेश्वर

Speaker

Narrator (Purana voice, traditionally Suta conveying the Kurma Purana’s tirtha-mahatmya account)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Durga
• Maheshvari
• Gajashaila

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By identifying Durga as “sākṣāt maheśvarī,” the verse presents the Divine as directly manifest—pointing to the Purāṇic view that the Supreme Reality is approachable through a personal, immanent form without denying transcendence.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse itself is primarily tirtha-focused, but it supports a devotional-contemplative practice: dhyāna and upāsanā on the Goddess as living presence at a sacred seat (pīṭha), aligning with Purāṇic sādhanā that integrates mantra, pilgrimage, and inner recollection.

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

Calling Durga “Maheshvari” emphasizes Shakti as the power of Maheshvara (Shiva), while the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis treats such manifestations as compatible with Vishnu’s cosmic order—devotion to Devi functions within a unified Shaiva–Vaishnava Purāṇic theology.