Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Mādhayameśvara-māhātmya — Vyāsa at Mandākinī and the Pāśupata Vision

Devanagari script

प्रविश्य शिष्यप्रवरैः सार्धं सत्यवतीसुतः / मध्यमेश्वरमीशानमर्चयामास शूलिनम्

Transliteration

praviśya śiṣyapravaraiḥ sārdhaṃ satyavatīsutaḥ / madhyameśvaramīśānamarcayāmāsa śūlinam

Translation

Bước vào thánh địa cùng các đệ tử ưu tú, con của Satyavatī (Vyāsa) đã thành kính lễ bái Đấng Chúa Tể—Madhyameśvara, Īśāna, Śūlin bậc cầm Tam Xoa.

Word by Word

• प्रविश्य: having entered
• प्रविश्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-विश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्यय (gerund/अव्ययभाव), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having entered)

• शिष्यप्रवरैः: with the best disciples
• शिष्यप्रवरैः: Sahakaraka (सह)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिष्य + प्रवर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुषः—शिष्येषु प्रवराः (the foremost among disciples)

• सार्धम्: together with
• सार्धम्: Sahakaraka (सह)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सार्धम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (सह-अर्थक/particle: 'together with')

• सत्यवतीसुतः: son of Satyavatī (Vyāsa)
• सत्यवतीसुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्यवती + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—सत्यवत्याः सुतः (son of Satyavatī)

• मध्यमेश्वरम्: Madhyameśvara (a form/place-name of Śiva)
• मध्यमेश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मध्यम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; संज्ञा (देवस्थान/लिङ्गनाम)

• ईशानम्: Īśāna (Śiva)
• ईशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिवनाम; अप्पोजिशन (मध्यमेश्वरम्)

• अर्चयामास: worshipped
• अर्चयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (परोक्षभूत/perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शूलिनम्: the trident-bearer (Śiva)
• शूलिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शूलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शिवनाम ('trident-bearer')

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing Vyāsa’s actions within the Kurma Purana’s tirtha-devotion context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vyasa
• Satyavati
• Madhyameshvara
• Ishana
• Shulin (Shiva)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By presenting Īśāna (Śiva) as the worship-worthy Lord approached by Vyāsa, the verse points to the Purāṇic view that the Supreme is accessed through īśvara-bhakti—reverent worship that steadies the mind toward the highest Reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The practice implied is īśvara-upāsanā (devotional worship of the Lord) performed in the company of disciplined disciples—an outer form supporting inner yoga: concentration, purity, and surrender, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Pashupata devotional ethos.

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

Though centered on Śiva (Īśāna, Śūlin), it is situated within a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa, showing the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: reverence to Śiva functions as reverence to the Supreme, harmonizing Shaiva and Vaishnava devotion.