Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 16

Kapālamocana: The Cutting of Brahmā’s Fifth Head, Śiva’s Kāpālika Vow, and Purification in Vārāṇasī

Devanagari script

अथर्ववेद उवाच यं प्रपश्यन्ति योगेशं यतन्तो यतयः परम् / महेशं पुरुषं रुद्रं स देवो भगवान् भवः

Transliteration

atharvaveda uvāca yaṃ prapaśyanti yogeśaṃ yatanto yatayaḥ param / maheśaṃ puruṣaṃ rudraṃ sa devo bhagavān bhavaḥ

Translation

《阿闼婆吠陀》曰：“精进苦行者所观见之至上瑜伽主——大自在天（Mahēśa）、超越之人（Purusha）、鲁陀罗（Rudra）——彼确为天神，具福德之主婆伐（Bhava，即湿婆 Śiva）。”

Word by Word

• अथर्ववेदः: Atharvaveda (personified)
• अथर्ववेदः: Karta (कर्ता/वक्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अथर्ववेद (प्रातिपदिक; अथर्वन् + वेद)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• यम्: whom
• यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• प्रपश्यन्ति: they behold
• प्रपश्यन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + पश्य्/दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, बहुवचन, परस्मैपद

• योगेशम्: Lord of yogis
• योगेशम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• यतन्तः: striving
• यतन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: यत् (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• यतयः: ascetics
• यतयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• महेशम्: Maheśa
• महेशम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुरुषम्: Person; Puruṣa
• पुरुषम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• रुद्रम्: Rudra
• रुद्रम्: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवः: god
• देवः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भगवान्: blessed, venerable
• भगवान्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• भवः: Bhava (Śiva)
• भवः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Atharvaveda (personified as a Vedic authority, quoted within the Kurma Purana narrative)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Atharvaveda
• Yogesha
• Mahesha
• Rudra
• Bhava (Shiva)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme as the directly “beheld” reality of yogins—Mahesha/Rudra as the transcendent Puruṣa—implying the highest truth is realized through yogic vision rather than mere ritual or speculation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds disciplined striving (yatantaḥ) by renunciant practitioners (yatayaḥ) culminating in direct contemplative perception (prapaśyanti) of Yogēśa—aligning with the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning emphasis on sustained tapas, inner concentration, and God-realization.

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

By placing Śiva (Bhava/Rudra) as the supreme object of yogic realization within a Purāṇa that also venerates Viṣṇu/Kūrma, it supports the text’s synthesizing stance: the one Supreme is praised through multiple divine names and forms.