Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 16

Īśvara-gītā: The Supreme Lord as Brahman, the Source of Creation, and the Inner Self

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मा योगी परमात्मा महीयान् व्योमव्यापी वेदवेद्यः पुराणः / एको रुद्रो मृत्युरव्यक्तमेकं बीजं विश्वं देव एकः स एव

Transliteration

brahmā yogī paramātmā mahīyān vyomavyāpī vedavedyaḥ purāṇaḥ / eko rudro mṛtyuravyaktamekaṃ bījaṃ viśvaṃ deva ekaḥ sa eva

Translation

هو برهما (Brahmā)، واليوغيّ الأعلى، والباراماتمان (Paramātman)—عظيمٌ شاملٌ كالفَضاء—يُعرَف بالفيدات، وهو القديم. هو وحده رودرا (Rudra)؛ وهو الموت؛ وهو الواحد غير المتجلّي (Avyakta)؛ وهو البذرة وهو الكون. ذلك الإله الواحد—هو بعينه كلُّ هذا.

Word by Word

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• yogī: yogi
• yogī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• parama-ātmā: Supreme Self
• parama-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय: ‘परमः आत्मा’

• mahīyān: greater, mightier
• mahīyān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahīyas (प्रातिपदिक; तुलनात्मक/Comparative)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तुलनात्मक-विशेषण (comparative)

• vyoma-vyāpī: all-pervading in space
• vyoma-vyāpī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyoman (प्रातिपदिक) + vyāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘व्योम्नि व्यापी’ (pervading the sky)

• veda-vedyaḥ: knowable through the Vedas
• veda-vedyaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + vedya (कृदन्त, √vid ‘to know’, gerundive)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘वेदैः वेद्यः’ (knowable by the Vedas)

• purāṇaḥ: ancient
• purāṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ekaḥ: one
• ekaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• mṛtyuḥ: death
• mṛtyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mṛtyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• avyaktam: unmanifest
• avyaktam: Pradhāna (विधेय/Predicate)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ekam: one
• ekam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• bījam: seed
• bījam: Pradhāna (विधेय/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• viśvam: the universe, all
• viśvam: Pradhāna (विधेय/Predicate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• devaḥ: God
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ekaḥ: one
• ekaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• eva: indeed, alone
• eva: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Emphatic particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) अवधारणार्थ (emphasis/only)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching as Ishvara (Ishvara Gita discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Paramatman
• Rudra (Shiva)
• Vedas
• Avyakta (the Unmanifest)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Paramātman as the single all-pervading Reality—both transcendent (the one Unmanifest) and immanent (as seed and as the universe), knowable through the Vedas yet beyond limited forms.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to īśvara-centric yoga: contemplation of the one Supreme as the inner Self and as the cosmic ground (bīja/avyakta), a core Ishvara Gita approach that supports one-pointed meditation and non-dual insight.

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

By declaring the One God as Rudra while spoken by Lord Kūrma, it presents a Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: Shiva (Rudra) and Vishnu (Ishvara speaking) are affirmed as one Supreme Reality.