Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 64

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

Devanagari script

विभर्ति शिरसा नित्यं द्विसप्तभुवनात्मकम् / ब्रह्माण्डं यो ऽखिलाधारस्तस्मै शेषात्मने नमः

Transliteration

vibharti śirasā nityaṃ dvisaptabhuvanātmakam / brahmāṇḍaṃ yo 'khilādhārastasmai śeṣātmane namaḥ

Translation

السجودُ والتسليمُ لذاك الذي ذاتُه شِيشا (Śeṣa) سندُ الكون، الذي يحملُ أبدًا على رأسِه براهماṇḍا، البيضةَ الكونيةَ المشتملةَ على العوالمِ الأربعةَ عشر، أساسَ كلِّ موجود.

Word by Word

• vibharti: bears, supports
• vibharti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhṛ (धातु) उपसर्गः वि-
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• śirasā: with (his) head
• śirasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiras (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• dvi-sapta-bhuvana-ātmakam: having the nature of the fourteen worlds
• dvi-sapta-bhuvana-ātmakam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dvi (प्रातिपदिक) + sapta (प्रातिपदिक) + bhuvana (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—द्विसप्तभुवनस्य आत्मा इति (determinative)

• brahmāṇḍam: the cosmic egg (universe)
• brahmāṇḍam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahmāṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; सम्बन्धबोधक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• akhila-ādhāraḥ: the support of all
• akhila-ādhāraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक) + ādhāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—अखिलस्य आधारः (determinative)

• tasmai: to him
• tasmai: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; तद्-सर्वनाम

• śeṣa-ātmane: to the one whose essence is Śeṣa
• śeṣa-ātmane: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—शेषः आत्मा यस्य/शेषात्मा (here as name/epithet)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambandha/Prayojana (सम्बन्ध/प्रयोजन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable interjection); नमः + चतुर्थी (dative) construction

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) in the Ishvara Gita context, presenting a doxological praise within the teaching stream

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Śeṣa (Ananta)
• Brahmāṇḍa
• Fourteen Lokas (dvisapta-bhuvana)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as the universal substratum (akhilādhāra) that upholds the entire brahmāṇḍa; “Śeṣa” functions as a theological symbol of the Atman/Ishvara as sustaining ground rather than a limited individual being.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse itself is a namas (doxological contemplation): a bhakti-infused dhyāna where the meditator fixes awareness on Ishvara as the cosmic support. In the Ishvara Gita frame, such remembrance supports Pashupata-oriented inner steadiness (ekāgratā) and surrender (īśvara-pranidhāna).

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

By praising the single sustaining principle behind cosmic order, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the supreme support may be named through Vaishnava imagery (Śeṣa/Ananta) while remaining compatible with the Ishvara Gita’s broader Shaiva-leaning devotional metaphysics.