Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

Cosmic Realms Above Dhruva, the Pātālas Below, and the Foundation of Pralaya

Ananta–Kāla

Devanagari script

सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशं पुरं तस्य दुरासदम् / न मे वर्णयितुं शक्यं ज्वालामालासमाकुलम्

Transliteration

sūryakoṭipratīkāśaṃ puraṃ tasya durāsadam / na me varṇayituṃ śakyaṃ jvālāmālāsamākulam

Translation

那座城光辉如千万日轮，令人难以逼近。我无法尽述——四周充满火焰的花鬘与成团的烈焰。

Word by Word

• सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशम्: shining like crores of suns
• सूर्यकोटिप्रतीकाशम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतीकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सूर्यकोटीनां प्रतीकाशम् = like ten million suns)

• पुरम्: city; abode
• पुरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (Neuter, Nom/Acc, Singular)

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive Singular)

• दुरासदम्: hard to approach
• दुरासदम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + आसद (प्रातिपदिक; √सद्/आसद् ‘approach’)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (दुर् + आसदम् = difficult to approach)

• न: not
• न: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation)

• मे: by me; for me
• मे: Kartṛ-sambandha (कर्ता-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन (Genitive/Dative Singular: 'my/to me')

• वर्णयितुम्: to describe
• वर्णयितुम्: Prayojana (प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वर्णय् (धातु; √वर्ण् caus.)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive)

• शक्यम्: possible
• शक्यम्: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रिया-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्य (प्रातिपदिक; √शक् + यत्)
• Form: यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (potential passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ज्वालामालासमाकुलम्: crowded with garlands of flames
• ज्वालामालासमाकुलम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक) + माला (प्रातिपदिक) + समाकुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषार्थः (ज्वालामालाभिः/ज्वालामालानां समाकुलम् = filled with garlands of flames)

Speaker

Narrator (a describing voice within the Purva-bhaga narrative, recounting a vision/description of a formidable divine city)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Surya (as a simile)
• pura (divine city)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly, by using overwhelming radiance and inexpressibility: the reality being described exceeds ordinary speech and sense-measures, echoing the Purāṇic idea that the highest principle is known more by awe and realization than by exhaustive description.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No technique is prescribed in this verse; instead it supplies a contemplative support (ālambana) for meditation—visualizing divine splendor and the limits of language—often used in Purāṇic devotion to steady attention and evoke reverence.

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

This verse does not explicitly name Śiva or Viṣṇu; it contributes to the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis by portraying a transcendent, unapproachable sacred reality whose splendor can be read as belonging to the one Supreme, approached through multiple divine forms.