Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 56

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

Devanagari script

योगादायै नमस्तुभ्यं योगिनां गुरवे नमः / नमः संसारनाशाय संसारोत्पत्तये नमः

Transliteration

yogādāyai namastubhyaṃ yogināṃ gurave namaḥ / namaḥ saṃsāranāśāya saṃsārotpattaye namaḥ

Translation

顶礼于你，最初赐予瑜伽者；顶礼于瑜伽行者之上师。顶礼于你，摧毁轮回系缚者；亦顶礼于你，世界由此而生的本源。

Word by Word

• योगादायै: to the bestower of yoga
• योगादायै: सम्प्रदान (Sampradana/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग + आदायी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative singular feminine

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Salutation expression)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात (indeclinable salutation)

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: सम्प्रदान (Sampradana/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative singular pronoun

• योगिनाम्: of yogins
• योगिनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; genitive plural masculine

• गुरवे: to the teacher
• गुरवे: सम्प्रदान (Sampradana/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative singular masculine

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Salutation expression)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात (indeclinable salutation)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Salutation expression)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात (indeclinable salutation)

• संसारनाशाय: to the destruction of saṃsāra
• संसारनाशाय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradana/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार + नाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative singular masculine

• संसारोत्पत्तये: to the arising of saṃsāra
• संसारोत्पत्तये: सम्प्रदान (Sampradana/Recipient)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संसार + उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; dative singular feminine

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: सम्बोधन-प्रयोग (Salutation expression)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; नमस्कारार्थक-निपात (indeclinable salutation)

Speaker

A devotee/sage offering a stuti (hymn of praise) to the Supreme Lord (Ishvara) as taught in the Kurma Purana’s Upari-bhaga discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara
• Yoga
• Guru (of Yogins)
• Saṃsāra

FAQs

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

It praises the Supreme as both the originator and dissolver of saṃsāra, indicating a transcendent Ishvara who governs manifestation and liberation—implying the highest reality stands beyond the cycle yet also projects it.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes Yoga as divinely bestowed and guided: the Lord is called the “guru of yogins,” pointing to Ishvara-centered discipline (īśvara-bhakti, inner restraint, and contemplative absorption) as the means to end saṃsāra.

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

By addressing the Supreme as the single source of Yoga, creation, and dissolution, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where the highest Ishvara can be praised in Shaiva or Vaishnava language without contradiction.