Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 21

Tīrtha-māhātmya and Rudra’s Samanvaya Teaching

Maṅkaṇaka Episode

Devanagari script

तीर्थानां परमं तीर्थं विजयं नाम शोभनम् / तत्र लिङ्गं महेशस्य विजयं नाम विश्रुतम्

Transliteration

tīrthānāṃ paramaṃ tīrthaṃ vijayaṃ nāma śobhanam / tatra liṅgaṃ maheśasya vijayaṃ nāma viśrutam

Translation

在一切圣地之中，最无上的圣地是庄严殊胜、名为“胜利”（Vijaya）的蒂尔塔。其处安立大自在天（Maheśa）之林伽，亦以“胜利”之名闻于世。

Word by Word

• तीर्थानाम्: of tīrthas
• तीर्थानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी बहुवचन (Gen. pl.)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.), विशेषण (of ‘तीर्थम्’)

• तीर्थम्: tīrtha
• तीर्थम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tīrtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• विजयम्: Vijaya (name)
• विजयम्: Samjna (संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vijaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.), नाम (proper name)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नामनिर्देशक निपात (indeclinable: ‘by name’)

• शोभनम्: beautiful; auspicious
• शोभनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śobhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.), विशेषण (of ‘तीर्थम्/विजयम्’)

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, स्थानवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (Śiva-emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: liṅga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.)

• महेशस्य: of Maheśa
• महेशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maheśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी एकवचन (Gen. sg.)

• विजयम्: Vijaya (named)
• विजयम्: Samjna (संज्ञा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vijaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (लिङ्गम् इति समन्वयात्), प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.), नाम (as epithet of the liṅga)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nāma (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, नामनिर्देशक निपात

• विश्रुतम्: well-known; renowned
• विश्रुतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-śru (श्रु धातु)
• Form: कृत (क्त) कृदन्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन (Nom./Acc. sg.), विशेषण (of ‘लिङ्गम्’)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) describing the tīrtha-māhātmya in the Kurma Purana tradition

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vijaya Tirtha
• Mahesha (Shiva)
• Shiva-linga (Vijaya-linga)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by declaring a ‘supreme tīrtha’ centered on Maheśa’s liṅga, it points to the Purāṇic idea that the highest purification occurs where devotion and right worship turn the mind inward toward the Supreme reality symbolized by Śiva.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse itself emphasizes tīrtha-sevā and liṅga-upāsanā rather than a technical yoga method; in Kurma Purana framing, such worship supports śuddhi (purification) and ekāgratā (one-pointedness), which are preparatory to Pāśupata-oriented discipline and meditation.

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

By presenting Maheśa’s liṅga and its tīrtha-mahātmya within a Vaiṣṇava Purāṇa (Kurma as Viṣṇu), it reflects the text’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: honoring Śiva’s worship as fully efficacious within the broader Purāṇic dharma.