Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 89
Kapālamocana: The Cutting of Brahmā’s Fifth Head, Śiva’s Kāpālika Vow, and Purification in Vārāṇasī
निरीक्ष्य जगतो हेतुमीश्वरं भगवान् हरिः / शिरो ललाटात् संभिद्य रक्तधारामपातयत्
nirīkṣya jagato hetumīśvaraṃ bhagavān hariḥ / śiro lalāṭāt saṃbhidya raktadhārāmapātayat
圣者诃利（薄伽梵）瞻见主宰伊湿伐罗——宇宙之因——便自裂额头，使血流如注而下。
Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing Bhagavān Hari’s act)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
By calling Īśvara “the cause of the universe,” the verse frames the Supreme as the ultimate ground of manifestation; Hari’s act is portrayed as oriented toward that highest Lord-principle rather than mere worldly ends.
The verse implies intense tapas (austerity) and self-offering as a spiritual discipline—an extreme form of renunciation and resolve that aligns with Purāṇic ideals supporting devotion and yogic steadiness (dhṛti) toward Īśvara.
Hari reveres “Īśvara” as the cosmic cause, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis where Vishnu can acknowledge Īśvara (often read as Shiva) as supreme, emphasizing unity rather than sectarian opposition.