Shloka 127

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

देवदेव उवाच एतद् वः संप्रवक्ष्यामि गूढं गहनमुत्तमम् / ब्रह्मणे कथितं पूर्वमादावेव महर्षयः

Transliteration

devadeva uvāca etad vaḥ saṃpravakṣyāmi gūḍhaṃ gahanamuttamam / brahmaṇe kathitaṃ pūrvamādāveva maharṣayaḥ

Translation

دیودیو نے فرمایا—اے مہارشیو! میں تمہیں یہ نہایت برتر، نہاں اور عمیق تعلیم بیان کرتا ہوں جو آغاز ہی میں پہلے برہما کو کہی گئی تھی۔

Word by Word

• देवदेवः: God of gods
• देवदेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (देवश्चासौ देवश्च); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• वः: to you
• वः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-बहुवचन-रूप (enclitic); here dative sense ‘to you (all)’

• संप्रवक्ष्यामि: I will explain fully
• संप्रवक्ष्यामि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (simple future), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• गूढम्: hidden
• गूढम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गूढ (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त from गुह्)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; एतत् इति विशेषण

• गहनम्: deep; hard to grasp
• गहनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गहन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; एतत् इति विशेषण

• उत्तमम्: supreme
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; एतत् इति विशेषण

• ब्रह्मणे: to Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (dative), एकवचन

• कथितम्: told
• कथितम्: Karma (कर्म/said-thing)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कथ् (धातु) → कथित (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त, passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘एतत्’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• पूर्वम्: formerly
• पूर्वम्: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb)

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-एकवचन-रूपेण अव्ययीभूत (adverbial locative)

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

• महर्षयः: O great sages / the great sages
• महर्षयः: Sambodhyah/Prastuta (प्रस्तुत/agent-context)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महर्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Devadeva (Lord Kurma/Vishnu speaking in a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devadeva
• Brahma
• Maharishis

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames the forthcoming instruction as a primordial, highest secret taught to Brahmā—implying a transcendent, foundational knowledge about ultimate reality (Atman/Ishvara) rather than ordinary ritual or worldly instruction.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse functions as a preface: it announces an esoteric, ‘gūḍha’ teaching typically associated in the Kurma Purana with disciplined inner practice—Pashupata-oriented restraint, contemplation, and devotion—whose details are given in the surrounding discourse.

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

By presenting Devadeva (a title used in Shaiva contexts) as the revealer of a primordial doctrine within a Vishnu/Kurma setting, the Kurma Purana signals a non-sectarian, unified Ishvara-teaching that bridges Shaiva and Vaishnava theology.