Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

Divine Abodes on the Mountains — A Sacred Survey of Jambūdvīpa

Kailāsa to Siddha Realms

Devanagari script

देवदानवगन्धर्वयक्षराक्षसकिंनरैः / उपस्पृष्टजला नित्यं सुपुण्या सुमनोरमा

Transliteration

devadānavagandharvayakṣarākṣasakiṃnaraiḥ / upaspṛṣṭajalā nityaṃ supuṇyā sumanoramā

Translation

其水恒为诸天、达那婆、乾闼婆、夜叉、罗刹与紧那罗所触（因而得以加持清净）；故此河常具最上功德，观之令人无比欢悦。

Word by Word

• देव-दानव-गन्धर्व-यक्ष-राक्षस-किंनरैः: by gods, demons, gandharvas, yakṣas, rākṣasas, and kiṃnaras
• देव-दानव-गन्धर्व-यक्ष-राक्षस-किंनरैः: करण (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + दानव (प्रातिपदिक) + गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक) + किंनर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व (copulative); ‘उपस्पृष्टजला’ इत्यस्य करण (by whom touched)

• उपस्पृष्ट-जला: whose waters are touched (by them)
• उपस्पृष्ट-जला: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उप + स्पृश् (धातु) (कृदन्त: क्त) + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त; जलं यस्याः तत् (having water that has been touched) — ‘मन्दाकिनी/नदी’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (अव्ययभावे)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘always’)

• सु-पुण्या: very holy
• सु-पुण्या: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + पुण्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘नदी’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• सु-मनो-रमा: very delightful
• सु-मनो-रमा: विशेषण (कर्ता-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु (अव्यय) + मनस् (प्रातिपदिक) + रम (धातु) (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक: रमा)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; मनः रमयति इति (pleasing to the mind) — ‘नदी’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic discourse voice, traditionally Sūta/compilers) describing the tīrtha’s sanctity

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Dānavas
• Gandharvas
• Yakṣas
• Rākṣasas
• Kiṃnaras

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by emphasizing a tīrtha’s sanctifying power, the verse points to purification (śuddhi) as a support for inner realization—making the mind fit to recognize the Atman, though the verse itself is primarily about sacred waters.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights tīrtha-sevā (holy-place observance) through contact with sacred water—an auxiliary discipline that supports sādhana by generating puṇya and mental purity, which in the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching complements mantra, japa, and Pāśupata-oriented devotion.

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

It does not name Śiva or Viṣṇu explicitly; however, the shared sanctity of the tīrtha for diverse celestial beings aligns with the Kurma Purana’s integrative spirit where pilgrimage and purification serve the one supreme reality revered through both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava idioms.