Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

Avimukta-Māhātmya — Vyāsa in Vārāṇasī and Śiva’s Secret Teaching of Liberation

Devanagari script

परं गुह्यतमं क्षेत्रं मम वाराणसी पुरी / सर्वेषामेव भूतानां संसारार्णवतारिणी

Transliteration

paraṃ guhyatamaṃ kṣetraṃ mama vārāṇasī purī / sarveṣāmeva bhūtānāṃ saṃsārārṇavatāriṇī

Translation

瓦拉纳西——我的圣城——是至秘至深的神圣圣域（kṣetra）。对一切众生而言，它是渡越轮回大海（saṃsāra）的救度之舟。

Word by Word

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2 विभक्ति), एकवचन; superlative sense ‘supreme’ (विशेषण)

• गुह्यतमम्: most secret
• गुह्यतमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक) + तमप् (तद्धित/तरतम)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; superlative (तम) ‘most secret’

• क्षेत्रम्: sacred place/field
• क्षेत्रम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• मम: of me / my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6 विभक्ति), एकवचन; genitive pronoun

• वाराणसी: Vārāṇasī
• वाराणसी: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाराणसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; proper noun

• पुरी: city
• पुरी: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वेषाम्: of all
• सर्वेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (सामान्य), षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘of all’

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), emphasis

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; ‘of beings’

• संसार-अर्णव-तारिणी: the one who ferries across the ocean of saṃsāra
• संसार-अर्णव-तारिणी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसार (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्णव (प्रातिपदिक) + तारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘संसारस्य अर्णवः’ (ocean of saṃsāra) + ‘तारिणी’ (she who ferries across)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching the sacred geography and liberative power of tīrthas

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Varanasi (Kashi)
• Kurma (Vishnu)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling Kāśī the power that “ferries beings across saṃsāra,” the verse points to liberation (mokṣa) as the highest aim—attained when one turns from worldly becoming to the supreme reality that grants transcendence.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tīrtha-sevā and kṣetra-sādhana: approaching a sanctified space as an aid to inner transformation. In Kurma Purana’s blended Shaiva-Vaishnava frame, such pilgrimage supports disciplined practice (yoga, japa, dhyāna) aimed at crossing saṃsāra.

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

Though spoken as “my city” by Lord Kurma (Vishnu), Vārāṇasī is traditionally Śiva’s foremost kṣetra; the verse thus harmonizes the traditions by presenting the same liberative power of the holy place within a unified Shaiva-Vaishnava theology.