Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 62

Dakṣa-yajña-bhaṅgaḥ — Dadhīci’s Teaching and the Destruction of Dakṣa’s Sacrifice

Devanagari script

तथा चन्द्रमसं देवं पादाङ्गुष्ठेन लीलया / धर्षयामास बलवान् स्मयमानो गणेश्वरः

Transliteration

tathā candramasaṃ devaṃ pādāṅguṣṭhena līlayā / dharṣayāmāsa balavān smayamāno gaṇeśvaraḥ

Translation

Cũng như thế, vị Chúa của các Gaṇa (Gaṇeśvara) đầy uy lực, mỉm cười, dùng ngón chân cái đè xuống và làm nhục thần Candra (Mặt Trăng) như một trò đùa.

Word by Word

• tathā: likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb

• candramasam: the Moon
• candramasam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candramas (चन्द्रमस् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• devam: the god
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (देव प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Singular; apposition to चन्द्रमसम्

• pāda-aṅguṣṭhena: with (his) big toe
• pāda-aṅguṣṭhena: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāda (पाद) + aṅguṣṭha (अङ्गुष्ठ)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; तत्पुरुष (पादस्य अङ्गुष्ठः)

• līlayā: playfully
• līlayā: Hetu/Prakara (हेतु/प्रकार)
• Type: Noun
• Root: līlā (लीला प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; adverbial-instrumental

• dharṣayāmāsa: assaulted/insulted
• dharṣayāmāsa: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dhṛṣ (धृष् धातु) + ṇic (णिच् causative) + Laṭ-periphrastic perfect (लिट्/परस्मैपद)
• Form: Periphrastic Perfect (लिट्, परोक्षभूत), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Singular; causative stem धर्षय-

• balavān: mighty
• balavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: balavat (बलवत् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; agrees with गणेश्वरः

• smayamānaḥ: smiling
• smayamānaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: smi (स्मि धातु) + śānac (शानच्)
• Form: Present middle participle (शानच्), Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; ‘smiling’

• gaṇa-īśvaraḥ: the lord of the gaṇas
• gaṇa-īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st), Singular; तत्पुरुष

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator in the Kurma Purana’s running account of divine episodes)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: hasya

Characters & Entities

• Candra (Moon)
• Gaṇeśvara (Lord of the Gaṇas)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By showing a powerful deity (Candra) being effortlessly subdued, the verse points to the limitation of cosmic powers and the supremacy of the higher Lordship behind them—implying that true sovereignty belongs to the ultimate reality, not to status or celestial brilliance.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No technique is taught directly; the yogic implication is ethical-psychological: pride (ahaṅkāra) must be subdued. In Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Pāśupata tone, inner discipline and humility are prerequisites for grace and higher realization.

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

Though this verse is Shaiva in imagery (Gaṇeśvara), the Kurma Purana commonly frames sectarian forms as expressions of one supreme governance of dharma—supporting a synthetic, non-hostile Shaiva–Vaishnava reading rather than a rivalry.