Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 60

Narmadā–Tīrtha-Māhātmya: Sequence of Sacred Fords and Their Fruits

Devanagari script

यत्र नारायणो देवो मुनोनां भावितात्मनाम् / स्वात्मानं दर्शयामास लिङ्गं तत् परमं पदम्

Transliteration

yatra nārāyaṇo devo munonāṃ bhāvitātmanām / svātmānaṃ darśayāmāsa liṅgaṃ tat paramaṃ padam

Translation

那处正是天神那罗延（Nārāyaṇa）向心已净化、常住观修的圣贤们显现自身真我之地；在那里，祂以神圣灵伽（liṅga）自显的那一体，即为至上归处。

Word by Word

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: अधिकरण-सम्बन्ध (relative location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, देशवाचक-सम्बन्धक (relative adverb)

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• देवः: the god
• देवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अप्पोजिशन (in apposition to नारायणः)

• मुनोनाम्: of the sages
• मुनोनाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• भावितात्मनाम्: of the self-disciplined/meditative (sages)
• भावितात्मनाम्: सम्बन्ध-विशेषण (genitive qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भावित + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (मुनोनाम्)

• स्वात्मानम्: his own self
• स्वात्मानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दर्शयामास: showed
• दर्शयामास: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: धातु: दृश् (to see/show) णिच् (causative: to show) + लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• लिङ्गम्: as a liṅga/emblem
• लिङ्गम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; (स्वात्मानम् इति कर्मस्य विशेष्य/उपमानरूपेण)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (पदम्)

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (पदम्)

• पदम्: abode/state
• पदम्: कर्ता/विधेय (Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (contextual description of the tīrtha and its glory)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Munis
• Linga
• Atman
• Parama Pada

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the highest reality as Nārāyaṇa’s own Self (svātmā), directly realizable by purified sages, and equates that Self-revelation with the “parama padam,” the supreme liberating state.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The phrase bhāvitātmanām points to inner purification through sustained contemplation (bhāvanā/dhyāna), implying a yogic discipline where refined awareness becomes fit for direct vision (darśana) of the Supreme.

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

By stating that Nārāyaṇa reveals His own Self as the Liṅga, it presents a Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: the Liṅga signifies the formless Supreme, showing non-sectarian unity at the level of the highest truth.