Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 70

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

Devanagari script

किरीटिनं गदाहस्तं नूपुरैरुपशोभितम् / दिव्यमाल्याम्बरधरं दिव्यगन्धानुलेपनम्

Transliteration

kirīṭinaṃ gadāhastaṃ nūpurairupaśobhitam / divyamālyāmbaradharaṃ divyagandhānulepanam

Translation

كان متوَّجًا بتاج، قابضًا على صولجانٍ (gada) بيده، متزيّنًا بخلاخيل؛ لابسًا أكاليل وثيابًا سماوية، ومطيّبًا بعطورٍ إلهية.

Word by Word

• किरीटिनम्: wearing a crown
• किरीटिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kirīṭin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘crowned/diademed’

• गदा-हस्तम्: with a mace in hand
• गदा-हस्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: gadā (प्रातिपदिक) + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘having a mace in hand’

• नूपुरैः: with anklets
• नूपुरैः: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nūpura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), बहुवचन

• उपशोभितम्: adorned
• उपशोभितम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-śobhita (प्रातिपदिक; √śubh past-participle with upa-)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; past participle used adjectivally ‘adorned/beautified’

• दिव्य-माल्य-अम्बर-धरम्: wearing divine garlands and garments
• दिव्य-माल्य-अम्बर-धरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक) + mālya (प्रातिपदिक) + ambara (प्रातिपदिक) + dhara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘wearing divine garlands and garments’

• दिव्य-गन्ध-अनुलेपनम्: anointed with divine fragrance
• दिव्य-गन्ध-अनुलेपनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: divya (प्रातिपदिक) + gandha (प्रातिपदिक) + anulepana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘having divine fragrant unguents/anointing’

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (as Īśvara) describing the Supreme Lord’s form for contemplation within the Īśvara-gītā teaching context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Kūrma
• Īśvara
• Nārāyaṇa
• Gadā (mace)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By portraying the Supreme in a luminous, worship-worthy form, the verse supports sāguṇa-upāsanā: the formless Self is approached through a sanctified iconography that steadies the mind and leads toward realization of the inner Ātman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It gives dhyāna-lakṣaṇa (meditation markers): the practitioner visualizes the Lord’s crowned head, weapons, ornaments, garments, and fragrance—an aid to ekāgratā (one-pointedness) aligned with the Kurma Purana’s Īśvara-gītā and Pāśupata-oriented discipline.

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

Though the imagery is Vaiṣṇava (crown, mace), the Īśvara-gītā frame in the Kūrma Purāṇa typically treats Īśvara as the single Supreme accessible through multiple names and forms, supporting a non-sectarian Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis in devotional meditation.