Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 50

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

Devanagari script

बहुनात्र किमुक्तेन मम शक्त्यात्मकं जगत् / मयैव प्रेर्यते कृत्स्नं मय्येव प्रलयं व्रजेत्

Transliteration

bahunātra kimuktena mama śaktyātmakaṃ jagat / mayaiva preryate kṛtsnaṃ mayyeva pralayaṃ vrajet

Translation

ما الحاجة إلى الإكثار من القول هنا؟ إن هذا الكون كلَّه من طبيعة شاكتي الخاصة بي. وبِي وحدي يُدفَعُ كلُّه، وإليَّ وحدي يمضي عند الانحلال (البرالايا).

Word by Word

• बहुना: with much (speech)
• बहुना: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (बहु इति), तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘by much (talk)’ (instrumental of measure)

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• किम्: what
• किम्: Prayojana/Avyaya-like (प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक ‘what?’ (idiom: किम् + तृतीया)

• उक्तेन: by what is said / by words
• उक्तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उक्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; वच् धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्यय (past passive participle) ‘with what is said’

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; ‘my/of me’

• शक्त्यात्मकम्: consisting of (my) power
• शक्त्यात्मकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (जगत् इति); तत्पुरुष: शक्तिः आत्मा यस्य/शक्त्या आत्मकः (consisting of power)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (कर्ता), एकवचन

• मया: by me
• मया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया (करण), एकवचन; ‘by me’

• एव: indeed/alone
• एव: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• प्रेर्यते: is impelled/driven
• प्रेर्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-ईर्/ईर् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘is impelled’

• कृत्स्नम्: entire
• कृत्स्नम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्स्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (जगत् implied)

• मयि: in me
• मयि: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (अधिकरण), एकवचन; ‘in me’

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avyaya (अव्यय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• प्रलयम्: dissolution
• प्रलयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रलय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (कर्म), एकवचन

• व्रजेत्: would go/attain
• व्रजेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; ‘would go/enters’

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages/seekers on the Supreme Lord and Śakti

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Śakti
• Jagat
• Pralaya
• Ishvara

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme (Ishvara) as the sole ground of the cosmos: the world is His Śakti in manifestation, moved by Him, and finally reabsorbed into Him—implying a non-separate, dependent reality of the universe upon the Supreme.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports īśvara-smṛti and īśvara-dhyāna: contemplation that all movement (pravṛtti) is impelled by the Lord and all outcomes culminate in Him. This undergirds surrender (śaraṇāgati), steadiness of mind, and inward absorption aligned with Pāśupata-style God-centered discipline.

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

By emphasizing one Supreme Ishvara whose Śakti becomes the universe and into whom all dissolves, the teaching aligns with the Purana’s syncretic approach: sectarian names differ, but the ultimate Lord and His power are one, supporting Shiva–Vishnu unity at the level of tattva.