Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 121

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

तेषां संस्तवमाकर्ण्य सोमः मोमविभूषणः / स्वमेव परमं रूपं दर्शयामास शङ्करः

Transliteration

teṣāṃ saṃstavamākarṇya somaḥ momavibhūṣaṇaḥ / svameva paramaṃ rūpaṃ darśayāmāsa śaṅkaraḥ

Translation

Nghe bài tán dương của họ, Soma—Đấng được trang sức bằng vầng trăng lưỡi liềm—Śaṅkara đã tự mình hiển lộ cho họ thấy hình tướng tối thượng của Ngài.

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural), सर्वनाम (Pronoun)

• संस्तवम्: praise, eulogy
• संस्तवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संस्तव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• आकर्ण्य: having heard
• आकर्ण्य: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa/Adverbial to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ + कर्ण् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), ‘having heard’

• सोमः: Soma (the Moon)
• सोमः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सोम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• मोम-विभूषणः: having ‘mom’ as ornament (wax-ornamented)
• मोम-विभूषणः: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier of सोमः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मोम (प्रातिपदिक) + विभूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (Genitive tatpuruṣa: ‘having ornament of wax/‘mom’)

• स्वम्: his own
• स्वम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; आत्मीयार्थक (reflexive/own)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (Particle/emphatic)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of रूपम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying रूपम्)

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• दर्शयामास: showed, revealed
• दर्शयामास: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) [णिच् causative: दर्शय-]
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद; causative sense ‘caused to see/showed’

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject; apposition to सोमः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing Śiva’s response to the devotees/sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva (Shankara)
• Soma (Moon/Crescent-moon ornament)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as directly knowable through divine self-revelation (darśana): the highest reality is not merely inferred, but disclosed by Śaṅkara’s grace when devotion ripens into praise and surrender.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds bhakti as a yogic means—stotra and focused reverence function as concentration (ekāgratā) that invites anugraha, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning emphasis on devotion, purity, and God’s responsive grace.

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

By centering the “supreme form” (parama-rūpa) of Śiva within the Kurma Purana’s broader synthetic theology, it supports the Purāṇic non-sectarian view that the highest Lord manifests through complementary names and forms, harmonizing Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava devotion.