Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

Kali-yuga Doṣas, the Supremacy of Rudra as Refuge, and the Closure of the Manvantara Teaching

Devanagari script

नमो ऽस्तु वामदेवाय महादेवाय वेधसे / शंभवे स्थाणवे नित्यं शिवाय परमेष्ठिने / नमः शोमाय रुद्राय महाग्रासाय हेतवे

Transliteration

namo 'stu vāmadevāya mahādevāya vedhase / śaṃbhave sthāṇave nityaṃ śivāya parameṣṭhine / namaḥ śomāya rudrāya mahāgrāsāya hetave

Translation

Kính lễ Vāmadeva, kính lễ Mahādeva, kính lễ Vedhas—Đấng an bài vũ trụ. Nguyện thường kính lễ Śambhu, Sthāṇu bất động, Śiva—Đấng Tối Thượng (Parameṣṭhin). Kính lễ Śoma, kính lễ Rudra, kính lễ Mahāgrāsa—Đấng Đại Nuốt, và Hetu—Nguyên Nhân sơ thủy.

Word by Word

• namaḥ: salutation; homage
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); indeclinable-like usage as salutation

• astu: let it be; may it be
• astu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Imperative/Optative-like benedictive: Loṭ (लोट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• vāmadevāya: to Vāmadeva
• vāmadevāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāmadeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; samāsa: vāma + deva (epithet)

• mahādevāya: to Mahādeva
• mahādevāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahādeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular; samāsa: mahā + deva

• vedhase: to the Creator/Ordainer
• vedhase: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vedhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular (ending -e for vedhas-stem)

• śaṃbhave: to Śambhu
• śaṃbhave: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaṃbhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• sthāṇave: to Sthāṇu (the immovable one)
• sthāṇave: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sthāṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• śivāya: to Śiva
• śivāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• parameṣṭhine: to the Supreme Abider (Parameṣṭhin)
• parameṣṭhine: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameṣṭhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular; samāsa: parama + iṣṭhin (one who stands/abides in the highest)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; salutation formula

• śomāya: to Śoma
• śomāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• rudrāya: to Rudra
• rudrāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

• mahāgrāsāya: to the great devourer
• mahāgrāsāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahāgrāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular; samāsa: mahā + grāsa

• hetave: to the cause
• hetave: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hetu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th), Singular

Speaker

A devotee/narratorial voice within the Purva-bhaga’s Śaiva stuti context (hymnic praise addressed to Lord Śiva/Rudra).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Rudra
• Vamadeva
• Mahadeva
• Shambhu
• Sthanu
• Parameshthin
• Soma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By praising Śiva as Parameṣṭhin (Supreme Ruler) and Hetu (the primal Cause), the verse points to a single highest principle behind creation and dissolution—an Atman/Brahman-like ground expressed here through Rudra’s names.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse functions as mantra-like nāma-smaraṇa (contemplative repetition of divine epithets), a core devotional discipline aligned with Pāśupata-oriented practice: steadiness (Sthāṇu), inner auspiciousness (Śiva), and contemplation of time as Mahāgrāsa to cultivate detachment.

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

While explicitly a Śaiva salutation, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s broader theistic synthesis by presenting the Supreme as the one Cause (Hetu) known through divine names—supporting the Purana’s non-sectarian tendency to see ultimate lordship as one, approached via Śiva/Rudra here.