Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Sapta-dvīpa Cosmography and the Vision of Śvetadvīpa–Vaikuṇṭha

Devanagari script

धुतपापा शिवा चैव पवित्रा संमता तथा / विद्युदम्भा मही चेति नद्यस्तत्र जलावहाः

Transliteration

dhutapāpā śivā caiva pavitrā saṃmatā tathā / vidyudambhā mahī ceti nadyastatra jalāvahāḥ

Translation

在那里，载水而流的诸河名为：涤罪河（Dhutapāpā）、吉祥河（Śivā）、净化河（Pavitrā）、称许河（Saṃmatā）、电光河（Vidyudambhā）与大地河（Mahī），皆在圣域中奔流。

Word by Word

• धुतपापा: Dhutapāpā (sin-removing)
• धुतपापा: कर्ता (list-member; river-name used as noun)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धुत + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative Singular; कर्मधारय (‘dhuta-pāpā’ = ‘shaken off sins’)

• शिवा: Śivā (river)
• शिवा: कर्ता (list-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative Singular

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — समुच्चय conjunction

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — अवधारण particle

• पवित्रा: Pavitrā (river)
• पवित्रा: कर्ता (list-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पवित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative Singular

• संमता: Saṃmatā (approved/esteemed; river)
• संमता: कर्ता (list-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + मन् (धातु) → सम्मत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (PPP) used as name; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative Singular

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: सम्बन्ध (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — adverb (‘likewise’)

• विद्युदम्भा: Vidyudambhā (lightning-water; river)
• विद्युदम्भा: कर्ता (list-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्युत् + अम्भस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative Singular; तत्पुरुष (‘lightning-water’)

• मही: Mahī (river)
• मही: कर्ता (list-member)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मही (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन — Nominative Singular

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — conjunction

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — उद्धरण/quotative particle (thus)

• नद्यः: rivers
• नद्यः: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative Plural

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (अधिकरण/locative adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण/adverb of place

• जलावहाः: carrying water
• जलावहाः: विशेषण (qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जल + वह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative Plural; तत्पुरुष (‘water-carrying’), विशेषण to ‘नद्यः’

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the Purāṇic description to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Dhutapāpā
• Śivā
• Pavitrā
• Saṃmatā
• Vidyudambhā
• Mahī

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes purification through sacred geography—sin-destroying rivers—supporting the Purāṇic path where inner purity (śuddhi) prepares one for knowledge of the Self taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to tīrtha-sevā—approaching sacred waters for purification—often paired in Purāṇic practice with japa, vrata, and worship; such outer disciplines support the inner yogic goal of steadiness and purity central to Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā.

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

By naming a river ‘Śivā’ within a Vaiṣṇava-leaning Purāṇa’s tīrtha section, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative spirit where auspiciousness and sanctity are shared across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava sacred frameworks.