Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 132

Devī-tattva, Śakti–Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla–Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction

Devanagari script

ब्रह्माणी बृहती ब्राह्मी ब्रह्मभूता भवारणिः / हिरण्मयी महारात्रिः संसारपरिवर्तिका

Transliteration

brahmāṇī bṛhatī brāhmī brahmabhūtā bhavāraṇiḥ / hiraṇmayī mahārātriḥ saṃsāraparivartikā

Translation

هي «براهْمَانِي»؛ الواسعة العظيمة، وقوّة «براهمي»—هي نفسها صارت براهْمَن؛ وهي نارُ التكوّن والوجود. متلألئةٌ كالذهب، هي «المها راتري»؛ الليلة العظمى، وهي القدرة التي تُدير عجلة الوجود الدنيوي.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्माणी: Brahmāṇī (Brahman-related goddess/power)
• ब्रह्माणी: कर्ता (कर्तृ/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्माणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मणः शक्तिः/ब्रह्मसम्बन्धिनी’

• बृहती: the great, vast
• बृहती: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बृहती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्राह्मी: Brahmī; pertaining to Brahman
• ब्राह्मी: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्राह्मी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘ब्रह्मसम्बन्धिनी/ब्रह्मविद्या’

• ब्रह्मभूता: become Brahman; of Brahman-nature
• ब्रह्मभूता: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्म + भूता (प्रातिपदिक; √भू (धातु) से क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘ब्रह्म भूता’ (become Brahman / of the nature of Brahman)

• भवारणिः: the fire-stick of worldly becoming (source/producer)
• भवारणिः: विशेषण/नाम (कर्तृ-सम्बन्धि)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भव + अरणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘भवस्य अरणिः’ (fire-stick of existence; figuratively: cause/producer)

• हिरण्मयी: golden
• हिरण्मयी: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिरण्मयी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘हिरण्मय’ = golden

• महारात्रिः: the great night
• महारात्रिः: विशेषण/नाम
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—‘महती रात्रिः’

• संसारपरिवर्तिका: the one who turns/transforms worldly existence
• संसारपरिवर्तिका: विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संसार + परिवर्तिका (प्रातिपदिक; √वृत्/√वर्त् (धातु) से)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘संसारं परिवर्तयति इति’ (one who turns/changes saṃsāra)

Speaker

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

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Devi (Shakti)
• Maharatri
• Maya
• Samsara

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling the Goddess “brahmabhūtā” (become Brahman), the verse points to the non-dual ground where the Supreme reality is one—appearing as Shakti while remaining Brahman itself.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Ishvara-Gita style contemplation: meditate on the Divine as both transcendent (Brahman) and immanent (the power moving saṃsāra). This aligns with Pāśupata-oriented devotion and inward discrimination that loosens identification with the turning wheel of becoming.

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

It presents a unifying theology: the Supreme spoken by Lord Kurma is Shakti-as-Brahman, a bridge concept through which Shaiva (Shakti/Maharatri) and Vaishnava (Vishnu teaching Brahman) strands converge in a non-dual framework.