Shloka 24
Kapālamocana: The Cutting of Brahmā’s Fifth Head, Śiva’s Kāpālika Vow, and Purification in Vārāṇasī
तन्मध्यसंस्थं विमलं मण्डलं तेजसोज्ज्वलम् / व्योममध्यगतं दिव्यं प्रादुरासीद् द्विजोत्तमाः
tanmadhyasaṃsthaṃ vimalaṃ maṇḍalaṃ tejasojjvalam / vyomamadhyagataṃ divyaṃ prādurāsīd dvijottamāḥ
اسی کے عین وسط میں ایک بے داغ، گول منڈل ظاہر ہوا، جو نورِ تجلی سے درخشاں تھا؛ وہ الٰہی تھا اور آسمان کے بیچوں بیچ قائم تھا، اے بہترینِ دو بار جنم لینے والو۔
Narrator (Purāṇic storyteller addressing the sages/brāhmaṇas)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
By portraying a “spotless, radiant orb” appearing in the sky, the verse uses a contemplative symbol for pure consciousness—unstained (vimala) and self-luminous (tejas)—often employed in Purāṇic teaching to indicate the Atman/Brahman as revealing itself when conditions are ripe.
The imagery supports dhyāna (meditation) on inner light: a stable, circular focus (maṇḍala) that is pure and radiant. In the Kurma Purana’s broader yogic tenor (including Pāśupata-oriented discipline), such a sign aligns with ekāgratā (one-pointedness) and contemplation of the divine splendor as a gateway to steadiness of mind.
Rather than naming a sectarian deity, it emphasizes a single “divine” manifestation (divyam) of luminous purity—consistent with the Kurma Purana’s integrative approach where the supreme reality can be spoken of through shared symbols honored across Shaiva and Vaishnava frames.