Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

अतीव परुषं वाक्यं प्रोचुर्देवं कपर्दिनम् / शेषुश्च शापैर्विविधैर्मायया तस्य मोहिताः

Transliteration

atīva paruṣaṃ vākyaṃ procurdevaṃ kapardinam / śeṣuśca śāpairvividhairmāyayā tasya mohitāḥ

Translation

انہوں نے کَپَردین دیو سے نہایت سخت کلام کیا؛ اور دوسرے بھی اُس کی مایا سے مسحور ہو کر طرح طرح کے شاپوں سے (اُس پر) وار کرنے لگے۔

Word by Word

• अतीव: very, exceedingly
• अतीव: क्रियाविशेषण
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• परुषम्: harsh
• परुषम्: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (to वाक्यम्)

• वाक्यम्: speech/words
• वाक्यम्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाक्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रोचुः: they spoke/uttered
• प्रोचुः: क्रिया
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपदी; प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• देवम्: to the god
• देवम्: सम्प्रदान/प्रति (Addressee)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• कपर्दिनम्: Kapardin (Śiva, ‘with matted hair’)
• कपर्दिनम्: सम्प्रदान/प्रति
• Type: Noun
• Root: कपर्दिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; देवस्य विशेषण-नाम (epithet)

• शेषुः: Śeṣu (a sage named Śeṣu)
• शेषुः: कर्ता
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेषु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (नाम)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक निपात (conjunction)

• शापैः: with curses
• शापैः: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental/करण), बहुवचन

• विविधैः: various
• विविधैः: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (to शापैः)

• मायया: by illusion
• मायया: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• तस्य: of him / his
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मोहिताः: deluded
• मोहिताः: कर्ता (as predicate to implied ‘they’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मुह् (धातु) → मोहित (कृदन्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘deluded’

Speaker

Narrator (Purana narrator in the Kurma Purana’s frame dialogue, recounting events involving Shiva/Kapardin)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: bibhatsa

Characters & Entities

• Kapardin (Shiva)
• Maya

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it highlights Māyā as the power that produces delusion and reactive speech/cursing—implying that clear discernment of the Self requires rising beyond Māyā’s confusion.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is named, but the verse points to a key yogic ethic: mastery over speech and anger. In the Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-dharma, such restraint supports inner clarity against Māyā.

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

By invoking Shiva (Kapardin) within the Kurma Purana’s theological frame, it supports the Purana’s synthesis: the same supreme reality operates through divine forms, while Māyā can cloud even participants in divine narratives.