Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 27

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

Devanagari script

अथोवाच विहस्येशः पिनाकी नीललोहितः / संप्रेक्ष्य जगतो योनिं पार्श्वस्थं च जनार्दनम्

Transliteration

athovāca vihasyeśaḥ pinākī nīlalohitaḥ / saṃprekṣya jagato yoniṃ pārśvasthaṃ ca janārdanam

Translation

تب پیناک دھاری، نیل لوہت بھگوان ایش نے کائنات کی اصل (مایا) اور اپنے پہلو میں کھڑے جناردن کو دیکھ کر مسکراتے ہوئے کہا۔

Word by Word

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध/अन्वय (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (particle/conjunction) — ‘then/now’

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Main action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• विहस्य: having smiled
• विहस्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + हस् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) — ‘having smiled/laughed’

• ईशः: the Lord
• ईशः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पिनाकी: Pināka-bearer (Śiva)
• पिनाकी: कर्ता (Apposition to subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular) — ‘bearer of Pināka’

• नील-लोहितः: the blue-reddish one
• नील-लोहितः: कर्ता (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + लोहित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारयः — ‘blue-reddish (one)’ (epithet)

• संप्रेक्ष्य: having observed
• संप्रेक्ष्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund) — ‘having looked at/observed’

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular) — ‘of the world’

• योनिम्: source/womb
• योनिम्: कर्म (Object of ‘having observed’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (Feminine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पार्श्व-स्थम्: standing beside (him)
• पार्श्व-स्थम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of जनार्दनम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पार्श्व (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुषः — ‘standing at the side’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordinator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (conjunction) — ‘and’

• जनार्दनम्: Janārdana (Viṣṇu)
• जनार्दनम्: कर्म (Object of ‘having observed’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Shiva (Isha/Rudra), addressing the scene with Vishnu (Janardana) nearby

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: hasya

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Isha/Rudra)
• Pinaka
• Janardana (Vishnu)
• Jagad-yoni (cosmic womb/source)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By portraying Shiva beholding the “womb/source of the universe,” the verse frames the Supreme as the causal ground of manifestation—an Ishvara-centered vision compatible with non-dual insight that the ultimate reality is the source and support of all worlds.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is prescribed in this line; instead it sets a contemplative cue: meditation on jagad-yoni (the cosmic source) and on Ishvara as the indwelling cause—an orientation that supports Pashupata-style devotion and inward contemplation taught in the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis.

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

Vishnu (Janardana) is shown standing at Shiva’s side as Shiva speaks, signaling concord rather than rivalry—an emblematic Kurma Purana theme where Shiva and Vishnu function harmoniously within a unified vision of Ishvara.