Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 35

Īśvara-gītā: Antaryāmin, Kāla, and the Divine Ordinance Governing Creation, Preservation, and Pralaya

Devanagari script

यो ऽनन्तमहिमानन्तः शेषो ऽशेषामरप्रभुः / दधाति शिरसा लोकं सो ऽपि देवनियोगतः

Transliteration

yo 'nantamahimānantaḥ śeṣo 'śeṣāmaraprabhuḥ / dadhāti śirasā lokaṃ so 'pi devaniyogataḥ

Translation

ذلك أنَنْتَ—ذو المجد الذي لا نهاية له، شِيشا اللامتناهي، ربُّ جميع الآلهة—يحمل العوالم على رأسه؛ ومع ذلك لا يفعل ذلك إلا بأمرٍ من الإلهيّ.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• अनन्त-महिमा: whose glory is endless
• अनन्त-महिमा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + महिमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः: ‘अनन्तो महिमा यस्य’

• अनन्तः: endless
• अनन्तः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

• शेषः: Śeṣa (the serpent)
• शेषः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• अशेष-अमर-प्रभुः: lord of all the gods
• अशेष-अमर-प्रभुः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + अमर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः: ‘अशेषाणाम् अमराणां प्रभुः’

• दधाति: holds/bears
• दधाति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• शिरसा: with (his) head
• शिरसा: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; करण (means)

• लोकम्: the world
• लोकम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निर्देश-सर्वनाम

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), समुच्चय (also)

• देव-नियोगतः: by the command of the Lord
• देव-नियोगतः: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + नियोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; हेतौ पञ्चमी (ablative of cause): ‘देवस्य/ईश्वरस्य नियोगात्’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic voice, traditionally Sūta relaying the teaching within the Kurma Purana’s frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Ananta
• Shesha
• Deva (Supreme Lord)
• Amaras (gods)
• Loka (worlds)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme (Deva/Iśvara) as the ultimate governor whose will (niyoga) even cosmic beings like Śeṣa must follow, implying a highest, ordering reality beyond all subordinate powers.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes īśvara-pranidhāna—alignment and surrender to the Lord’s ordinance—an essential spiritual attitude echoed in Kurma Purana’s Yoga-oriented teachings, where discipline is grounded in obedience to dharma and divine governance.

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

By stressing one supreme “Deva” whose command governs all, it supports the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: sectarian forms (Vaiṣṇava like Śeṣa/Ananta and Śaiva frames elsewhere) operate under a single highest Iśvara.