Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

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

Devanagari script

वीरभद्र इति ख्यातं देवदेवसमन्वितम् / स जातमात्रो देवेशमुपतस्थे कृताञ्जलिः

Transliteration

vīrabhadra iti khyātaṃ devadevasamanvitam / sa jātamātro deveśamupatasthe kṛtāñjaliḥ

Translation

祂以“毗罗跋陀罗”（Vīrabhadra）之名而著称，具足诸神之神的临在与威力；甫一诞生，便合掌恭敬，趋近天众之主而侍立。

Word by Word

• वीरभद्रः: Vīrabhadra
• वीरभद्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वीरभद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• इति: thus, as
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/निरूपण-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• ख्यातम्: known/called
• ख्यातम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √ख्या (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘(इति) ख्यातम्’ = ‘known/called’

• देवदेवसमन्वितम्: accompanied by the god of gods
• देवदेवसमन्वितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: देव-देव-समन्वित (प्रातिपदिक; देव=god + देव=god + समन्वित=accompanied)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (ख्यातम् इत्यस्य)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जातमात्रः: just born
• जातमात्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जात-मात्र (प्रातिपदिक; जात=born + मात्र=just/only)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (सः)

• देवेशम्: the Lord of the gods
• देवेशम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-ईश (प्रातिपदिक; देव=god + ईश=lord)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• उपतस्थे: approached, attended upon
• उपतस्थे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-√स्था (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; ‘he attended/approached’

• कृताञ्जलिः: with hands folded (in reverence)
• कृताञ्जलिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत-अञ्जलि (प्रातिपदिक; कृत=made + अञ्जलि=folded hands)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (सः)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (Vyāsa/Śaunaka-style narration describing the episode)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vīrabhadra
• Deveśa (Lord of the gods)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By portraying even a mighty, divinely empowered being as immediately bowing to the Lord, the verse implies a higher sovereign reality (Īśvara) before whom all manifested powers are secondary—pointing to the supremacy of the inner Lord beyond individual might.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds the yogic ethic of humility and surrender (praṇipāta/añjali), a foundational disposition for Shaiva-Pāśupata and Purāṇic yoga: reverent approach to Īśvara as the prerequisite for discipline, mantra, and higher contemplation.

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

By emphasizing devotion to the supreme “Lord of the gods” while describing a Shaiva figure (Vīrabhadra), the Kurma Purana’s tone supports a harmonizing theology where ultimate lordship is honored as one reality, expressed through Shaiva and Vaishnava forms.