Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

Kapardeśvara at Piśācamocana — Liberation of a Piśāca and the Brahmapāra Hymn

Devanagari script

कामक्रोधादयो दोषा वाराणसीनिवासिनाम् / विघ्नाः सर्वे विनश्यन्ति कपर्देश्वरपूजनात्

Transliteration

kāmakrodhādayo doṣā vārāṇasīnivāsinām / vighnāḥ sarve vinaśyanti kapardeśvarapūjanāt

Translation

Đối với cư dân Vārāṇasī, các lỗi như dục vọng và sân hận—cùng mọi chướng ngại—đều bị tiêu trừ nhờ thờ phụng Kapardeśvara (Śiva).

Word by Word

• kāma-krodha-ādayaḥ: desire, anger, etc.
• kāma-krodha-ādayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāma (प्रातिपदिक) + krodha (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; तत्पुरुष: kāma-krodhau ādiḥ yeṣām = beginning with desire and anger

• doṣāḥ: faults
• doṣāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: doṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• vārāṇasī-nivāsinām: of the residents of Vārāṇasī
• vārāṇasī-nivāsinām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vārāṇasī (प्रातिपदिक) + nivāsin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Plural; तत्पुरुष: vārāṇasyāṃ nivāsinaḥ = residents of Vārāṇasī

• vighnāḥ: obstacles
• vighnāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vighna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• sarve: all
• sarve: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; agrees with vighnāḥ

• vinaśyanti: perish / are destroyed
• vinaśyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√naś (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural; parasmaipada; from √naś with prefix vi-

• kapardeśvara-pūjanāt: from the worship of Kapardeśvara
• kapardeśvara-pūjanāt: Apādāna/Hetu (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kapardeśvara (प्रातिपदिक) + pūjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; तत्पुरुष: kapardeśvarasya pūjanāt = from/by worship of Kapardeśvara

Speaker

Traditional Purana narrator (Suta/authorial narration) describing the tirtha-mahatmya

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Varanasi (Kashi)
• Kapardeshvara
• Shiva

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By stating that inner defects like desire and anger are destroyed through devotion, the verse implies purification of the antaḥkaraṇa (inner instrument), which is a prerequisite for steady recognition of the Self beyond passion and obstruction.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes pūjā (ritual worship) as a practical limb of sādhana: focused devotion to Śiva (Kapardeśvara) that removes vighnas and weakens kāma-krodha, aligning with Purāṇic Pāśupata-oriented purification leading toward meditation and restraint.

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

In the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology, praising Śiva’s worship as liberative functions within a broader Shaiva–Vaishnava harmony, where devotion to Śiva is affirmed as a valid means of inner purification within the same Purāṇic dharma framework.