Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

Madhu–Kaiṭabha, Nārāyaṇa’s Yoga-Nidrā, Rudra’s Manifestation, and the Aṣṭamūrti–Trimūrti Teaching

Devanagari script

अव्ययानि दशैतानि नित्यं तिष्ठन्ति शङ्करे / स एव शङ्करः साक्षात् पिनाकी परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

avyayāni daśaitāni nityaṃ tiṣṭhanti śaṅkare / sa eva śaṅkaraḥ sākṣāt pinākī parameśvaraḥ

Translation

هذه العشرة غير الزائلة تقيم أبداً في شانكرا. وهو بعينه شانكرا حقّاً—بينَاكي، باراميشڤارا، الربّ الأعلى.

Word by Word

• अव्ययानि: indeclinables/unchanging entities
• अव्ययानि: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• दश: ten
• दश: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: संख्यावाचक-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन (अव्ययानि इति विशेष्येण सह)

• एतानि: these
• एतानि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• नित्यम्: always
• नित्यम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभावेन)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय (adverb)

• तिष्ठन्ति: remain/abide
• तिष्ठन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• शङ्करे: in Śaṅkara (Śiva)
• शङ्करे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• शङ्करः: Śaṅkara
• शङ्करः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly/in person
• साक्षात्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण/निपात (indeed, directly)

• पिनाकी: the bearer of Pināka
• पिनाकी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिनाकिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; -इन्/ई-प्रत्ययान्त (one who has Pināka bow)

• परमेश्वरः: the Supreme Lord
• परमेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (परमः ईश्वरः)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (Ishvara Gita context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Shankara (Shiva)
• Pinaki
• Parameshvara

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling Śaṅkara “Parameśvara” and associating him with “imperishable” attributes, the verse points to the Supreme as unchanging and eternally established—beyond decay and time, the stable ground of spiritual realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports nāma-smṛti and īśvara-dhyāna: steady contemplation on the Lord through his imperishable epithets, a key Ishvara Gita method aligned with Pāśupata-oriented devotion and focused meditation.

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

Within the Ishvara Gita setting (spoken by Lord Kūrma), it affirms Śiva as the Supreme Lord, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s synthetic stance where Vishnu’s teaching upholds Śiva’s parama-tattva, emphasizing non-sectarian unity.