Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

सैषा मायात्मिका शक्तिः सर्वाकारा सनातनी / वैश्वरूप्यं महेशस्य सर्वदा संप्रकाशयेत्

Transliteration

saiṣā māyātmikā śaktiḥ sarvākārā sanātanī / vaiśvarūpyaṃ maheśasya sarvadā saṃprakāśayet

Translation

هذه هي القوّة الأزلية (شاكتي)، طبيعتُها مايا وتتخذ كلَّ صورة؛ وهي على الدوام تُظهر الهيئة الكونية لماهاديفا (ماهيشفارا) إظهارًا جليًّا.

Word by Word

• सा: she; that (power)
• सा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एषा: this
• एषा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• माया-आत्मिका: made of māyā; māyic
• माया-आत्मिका: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjective of śaktiḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास: मायाया आत्मिका ‘consisting of māyā’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शक्तिः: power; energy
• शक्तिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्व-आकारा: of all forms
• सर्व-आकारा: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjective of śaktiḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास: सर्वे आकाराः यस्याः/या ‘having all forms’; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सनातनी: eternal
• सनातनी: कर्तृ-विशेषण (Adjective of śaktiḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• वैश्वरूप्यम्: universal form; cosmic manifestation
• वैश्वरूप्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-रूप्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास: विश्वस्य रूप्यम्/रूपता ‘universality of form’; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• महेशस्य: of Maheśa (Śiva)
• महेशस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Temporal setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• संप्रकाशयेत्: should manifest; would reveal
• संप्रकाशयेत्: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम् + प्र + काश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative/denominative sense ‘to make manifest, illuminate’

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maya
• Shakti
• Maheshvara (Shiva)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It distinguishes the manifesting principle (Māyā-Śakti) from the Supreme Lord: Śakti projects and reveals the cosmic form, implying the Atman/Iśvara remains the underlying reality while manifestation is through Śakti.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports contemplative practice on the viśvarūpa (universal form) as a dhyāna-object: by recognizing all forms as Śakti’s display revealing Maheśvara, the practitioner cultivates non-dual, all-pervasive God-awareness aligned with Ishvara Gita teachings.

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

With Lord Kurma teaching about Maheśvara’s universal form revealed by Śakti, the text models Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis: Vishnu (as Kurma) affirms Śiva’s cosmic sovereignty, pointing to a unified, non-sectarian vision of the Supreme.