Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

Sapta-dvīpa Cosmography and the Vision of Śvetadvīpa–Vaikuṇṭha

Devanagari script

तेषां वै रुद्रसायुज्यं सारूप्यं चातिदुर्लभम् / सलोकता च सामीप्यं जायते तत्प्रसादतः

Transliteration

teṣāṃ vai rudrasāyujyaṃ sārūpyaṃ cātidurlabham / salokatā ca sāmīpyaṃ jāyate tatprasādataḥ

Translation

对他们而言，凭祂的恩慈，得生与鲁陀罗合一（sāyujya），甚至极其难得的得鲁陀罗同形（sārūpya）亦可成就；同样，居于鲁陀罗之界（salokatā）与亲近于祂（sāmīpya）也由祂的慈恩赐予。

Word by Word

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• रुद्रसायुज्यम्: union with Rudra
• रुद्रसायुज्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र + सायुज्य (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (रुद्रस्य सायुज्यम्)

• सारूप्यम्: having the same form (as him)
• सारूप्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सारूप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• अतिदुर्लभम्: very hard to obtain
• अतिदुर्लभम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + दुर्लभ (प्रातिपदिक); समास
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying sārūpyaṃ); कर्मधारय (अत्यन्तं दुर्लभम्)

• सलोकता: dwelling in the same world
• सलोकता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सलोकता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-बोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• सामीप्यम्: nearness (to him)
• सामीप्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामीप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• जायते: arises, is obtained
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• तत्प्रसादतः: due to his grace
• तत्प्रसादतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत् + प्रसाद (प्रातिपदिक); समास + अव्ययीभाव-प्रयोग
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; पञ्चमी-अर्थे अव्यय (ablatival sense: 'because of/from'); (तस्य प्रसादात्)

Speaker

Narratorial Purana voice describing the phala (spiritual fruit) of Rudra-bhakti / Pashupata-oriented devotion

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Shiva

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents liberation as graded participation in Rudra—nearness, shared realm, shared form, and finally sāyujya (union)—implying the highest realization culminates in identity with the Lord through grace (prasāda), not merely ritual merit.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

While the verse itself names results rather than techniques, it aligns with Pāśupata-oriented discipline in the Kurma Purana: devotion to Rudra, inner purification, and contemplative absorption culminating in sāyujya, all ripening through Rudra’s prasāda.

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

By treating Rudra’s grace as the decisive cause of liberation, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology where devotion to Shiva is a direct path to moksha—consistent with the broader Purana’s non-sectarian, Shiva–Vishnu harmonizing stance.