Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 195

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

Devanagari script

सेविता सेविका सेव्या सिनीवाली गरुत्मती / अरुन्धती हिरण्याक्षी मृगाङ्का मानदायिनी

Transliteration

sevitā sevikā sevyā sinīvālī garutmatī / arundhatī hiraṇyākṣī mṛgāṅkā mānadāyinī

Translation

أنتِ المعبودةُ، وأنتِ الخادمةُ كالمرافِقة الإلهية، وأنتِ الجديرةُ بالعبادة؛ أنتِ سِينيفالي، وغاروتْمَتي؛ وأروندَتي؛ ذاتُ العينين الذهبيّتَين؛ الموسومةُ بعلامة القمر؛ وواهبةُ الشرف والكرامة.

Word by Word

• सेविता: served; worshipped
• सेविता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेवित (कृदन्त; √सेव् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past passive participle) ‘served/worshipped’

• सेविका: attendant; servant
• सेविका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सेविका (प्रातिपदिक; from √सेव्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; agent noun ‘female attendant/servant’

• सेव्या: worthy of service/worship
• सेव्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सेव्य (कृदन्त; √सेव् धातु)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यत्/ण्यत्-प्रत्ययार्थक (gerundive) ‘to be served/worshipped’

• सिनीवाली: Sinīvālī (a goddess/name)
• सिनीवाली: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—name/epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिनीवाली (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; देवी/अमावास्या-सम्बद्धा देवता-नाम

• गरुत्मती: winged; Garuḍa-like
• गरुत्मती: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गरुत्मत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; गरुत्मत्-शब्दस्य स्त्रीरूपम्; ‘having wings/like Garuḍa’

• अरुन्धती: Arundhatī
• अरुन्धती: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—name/epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अरुन्धती (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (Arundhatī)

• हिरण्य-अक्षी: golden-eyed
• हिरण्य-अक्षी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हिरण्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—हिरण्यवत् अक्षी यस्याः सा (golden-eyed)

• मृग-अङ्का: bearing a deer-mark / with a deer emblem
• मृग-अङ्का: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृग (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘मृगः अङ्के यस्याः’ इति (locative/possessive sense) तत्पुरुष-प्रायः; अर्थतः ‘having a deer-mark/with deer in lap’ (epithet)

• मान-दायिनी: giver of honor/respect
• मान-दायिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक) + दायिन् (प्रातिपदिक; from √दा ‘to give’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘मानं ददाति’ इति (object relation) तत्पुरुषः; दायिनी = feminine agent noun

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) speaking in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Sinivali
• Arundhati
• Kurma

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By presenting the Goddess as simultaneously the one served, the one who serves, and the one worthy to be served, the verse points to a non-dual vision where worshipper, worship, and the worshipped are ultimately grounded in one Supreme Reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse functions as nāma-japa and stuti: meditative repetition of divine epithets to purify attention (citta-śuddhi) and stabilize devotion, supporting the Kurma Purana’s integrated path of bhakti with disciplined yogic restraint (aṅga-sādhana) in the Ishvara Gita milieu.

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

Spoken in the Ishvara Gita setting by Lord Kurma, the Devi-stuti aligns Vaishnava narration with Shaiva-leaning yogic theology, implying one divine power (Śakti) honored across sectarian forms—supporting the Purana’s unity-of-deities approach.