Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 11

Tīrtha-Māhātmya and the Discipline of Pilgrimage (Tīrtha-sevā) within Prāyaścitta

Devanagari script

महाकालमिति ख्यातं तीर्थं त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम् / गत्वा प्राणान् परित्यज्य गाणपत्यमवाप्नुयात्

Transliteration

mahākālamiti khyātaṃ tīrthaṃ trailokyaviśrutam / gatvā prāṇān parityajya gāṇapatyamavāpnuyāt

Translation

‘مہاکال’ کے نام سے مشہور اور تینوں لوکوں میں معروف اُس تیرتھ میں جا کر جو شخص پران تیاگ دے، وہ گانپتیہ—یعنی گنپتی کے پد کو پاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• महाकालम्: (the place/name) Mahākāla
• महाकालम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महाकाल (प्रातिपदिक; महा + काल)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; Proper noun used as name

• इति: thus, as (called)
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इत्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ख्यातम्: known, famed
• ख्यातम्: Kriya (क्रिया/participial predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicative with tīrtham

• तीर्थम्: a sacred ford/pilgrimage place
• तीर्थम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम्: renowned in the three worlds
• त्रैलोक्यविश्रुतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रैलोक्य + विश्रुत (प्रातिपदिक; त्रि-लोक्य + वि-श्रुत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of तीर्थम्

• गत्वा: having gone
• गत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + त्वा (क्त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• प्राणान्: life-breaths, vital airs
• प्राणान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• परित्यज्य: having abandoned
• परित्यज्य: Kriya (क्रिया/पूर्वकर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि-त्यज् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृदन्त)
• Form: ल्यबन्त-अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया

• गाणपत्यम्: the status/realm of Gaṇapati
• गाणपत्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गाणपत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; state/realm of Gaṇapati

• अवाप्नुयात्: would attain
• अवाप्नुयात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-आप् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपदम्

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing in a tīrtha-māhātmya context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Mahākāla
• Tīrtha
• Gaṇapati (Gaṇeśa)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames death at a sanctified tīrtha as a spiritually charged transition, implying that the end of prāṇa can become a yogic “departure” aligned with divine order, rather than mere physical cessation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tīrtha-sevā and intentional end-of-life renunciation (prāṇa-parityāga) at a holy place—an ascetic ideal that complements Kurma Purana disciplines (niyama, devotion, and ritual purity), even when not detailing formal āsana/prāṇāyāma.

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

By venerating “Mahākāla” (a strongly Śaiva epithet) within a Kūrma (Viṣṇu) discourse and promising a Gaṇapatya attainment, it reflects the Purāṇa’s integrative theology—multiple deities and their realms function within one dharmic-cosmic framework.