Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 100

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

प्रदक्षिणं द्विजः कुर्यात् पञ्च ब्रह्माणि वै जपन् / ध्यायीत देवमीशानं व्योममध्यगतं शिवम्

Transliteration

pradakṣiṇaṃ dvijaḥ kuryāt pañca brahmāṇi vai japan / dhyāyīta devamīśānaṃ vyomamadhyagataṃ śivam

Translation

令再生者（dvija）行绕行礼（pradakṣiṇa），并确实诵念五梵真言（pañca-brahma）；又当观想主宰伊沙那——湿婆——安住于苍穹之中、遍满虚空（ākāśa）之内。

Word by Word

• प्रदक्षिणम्: circumambulation
• प्रदक्षिणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रदक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• द्विजः: a twice-born (brahmin)
• द्विजः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (nominative singular)

• कुर्यात्: should do
• कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg. optative)

• पञ्च: five
• पञ्च: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पञ्च (अव्यय/संख्याशब्द)
• Form: संख्यावाचक; अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (indeclinable numeral)

• ब्रह्माणि: Brahma-mantras / Brahmas (five)
• ब्रह्माणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (accusative plural)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चयार्थक/खलु-अर्थ (emphatic particle: indeed)

• जपन्: reciting
• जपन्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √जप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; शतृ-प्रत्यय (present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (द्विजः)

• ध्यायीत: should meditate
• ध्यायीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ध्यै (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), आत्मनेपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg. optative)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• ईशानम्: Īśāna, the Lord
• ईशानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (acc. sg. qualifying देवम्)

• व्योममध्यगतम्: situated in the midst of the sky
• व्योममध्यगतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्योममध्यगत (प्रातिपदिक; व्योम + मध्य + गत)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (acc. sg. qualifying शिवम्); अर्थ: व्योमस्य मध्ये गतः (gone/placed in the middle of the sky)

• शिवम्: Śiva
• शिवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing sages (Paurāṇic dialogue framework)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Ishana
• Brahma-mantras
• Dvija

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By directing meditation to Īśāna-Śiva “in the midst of the sky/ether,” the verse points to the Supreme as all-pervading and subtle—accessible inwardly through dhyāna rather than as a merely external object.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It prescribes a combined sādhanā: pradakṣiṇā (devotional ritual movement), japa of the “five Brahma-mantras,” and dhyāna on Īśāna (Śiva). This integrates karma (ritual discipline) with mantra-yoga and meditative absorption.

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

Within the Kūrma Purāṇa’s synthesis, Vishnu (as Lord Kūrma) teaches worship and meditation on Śiva (Īśāna), presenting the supreme devotion as complementary rather than sectarian—one divinity approached through multiple sacred names and forms.