Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 67

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

Devanagari script

कोटिसूर्यप्रितीकाशं तेजोबिम्बं निराकुलम् / ज्वालामालासहस्त्राढ्यं कालानलशतोपमम्

Transliteration

koṭisūryapritīkāśaṃ tejobimbaṃ nirākulam / jvālāmālāsahastrāḍhyaṃ kālānalaśatopamam

Translation

ورأى كرةً من النور الإلهي لا كدر فيها، تتلألأ كعشرة ملايين شمس—ساكنةً غير مضطربة، في تمام الصفاء—مزدانةً بآلاف أكاليل اللهيب، كأنها مئةُ نارٍ كونيةٍ لنار الزمان (kālāgni).

Word by Word

• कोटि-सूर्य-प्रतīkāśम्: shining like crores of suns
• कोटि-सूर्य-प्रतīkāśम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: koṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + pratīkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘of (like) crores of suns’

• तेजः-बिम्बम्: a sphere of brilliance
• तेजः-बिम्बम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक) + bimba (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘orb/image of radiance’

• निराकुलम्: unperturbed, unconfused
• निराकुलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirākula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; qualifies the described form

• ज्वाला-माला-सहस्र-आढ्यम्: adorned with thousands of flame-garlands
• ज्वाला-माला-सहस्र-आढ्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jvālā (प्रातिपदिक) + mālā (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + āḍhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘endowed with thousands of garlands of flames’

• काल-अनल-शत-उपमम्: like a hundred cosmic fires
• काल-अनल-शत-उपमम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + anala (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक) + upama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘comparable to hundreds of fires of Time (cosmic fire)’

Speaker

Narrator (Vyāsa/Sūta tradition), describing the visionary form revealed in the Īśvara-gītā context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Supreme Lord)
• Kālāgni (Fire of Time)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It portrays the Supreme as pure, self-luminous consciousness—an unagitated (nirākula) radiance—suggesting the Atman/Īśvara is intrinsically luminous and untouched by disturbance, even while appearing as overwhelming cosmic power.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The imagery supports dhyāna on a tejo-bimba (orb of light): a yogic contemplation where the mind is gathered into steadiness by focusing on the Lord’s serene brilliance, aligning with the Īśvara-gītā’s emphasis on inner concentration and purification.

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

By describing Īśvara as both tranquil consciousness and the kālāgni-like cosmic power, the verse reflects the Purāṇa’s non-sectarian synthesis: the same Supreme reality is praised in Shaiva terms of Īśvara and in Vaishnava theophany as the Lord’s radiant form.