Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 119

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

Devanagari script

दीक्षा विद्याधरी दीप्ता महेन्द्रविनिपातिनी / सर्वातिशायिनी विद्या सर्वसिद्धिप्रदायिनी

Transliteration

dīkṣā vidyādharī dīptā mahendravinipātinī / sarvātiśāyinī vidyā sarvasiddhipradāyinī

Translation

তেওঁ দীক্ষা, বিদ্যাধাৰিণী, দীপ্তিময়ী; মহেন্দ্ৰ (ইন্দ্ৰ)ৰ গৰ্বও পতিত কৰিব পৰা। তেওঁ সৰ্বাতিশয়িনী বিদ্যা, যিয়ে সকলো সিদ্ধি আৰু সাধনফল প্ৰদান কৰে।

Word by Word

• दीक्षा: initiation; consecration
• दीक्षा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दीक्षा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विद्याधरी: bearer of knowledge
• विद्याधरी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्या-धरिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (विद्यां धरति इति)

• दीप्ता: radiant; blazing
• दीप्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दीप्त (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-आधारित)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; 'दीप्त' = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (ppp) from √दीप् (दीप् धातु)

• महेन्द्रविनिपातिनी: she who casts down Mahendra (Indra)
• महेन्द्रविनिपातिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेन्द्र-विनिपातिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (महेन्द्रस्य विनिपातिनी = महेन्द्रं पातयित्री)

• सर्वातिशायिनी: surpassing all
• सर्वातिशायिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-अतिशायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वान् अतिशेते इति = surpassing all)

• विद्या: knowledge; learning
• विद्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• सर्वसिद्धिप्रदायिनी: bestower of all attainments
• सर्वसिद्धिप्रदायिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-सिद्धि-प्रदायिन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (सर्वाः सिद्धयः) + तत्पुरुषः (तासां प्रदायिनी)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) teaching King Indradyumna and the sages within the Ishvara Gita discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Mahendra (Indra)
• Vidyā
• Dīkṣā
• Siddhi

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By praising the supreme Vidyā as “surpassing all” and as the giver of every siddhi, the verse points to liberating knowledge that humbles even divine ego (Indra), indicating that realization of the Self transcends all worldly and heavenly powers.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds Dīkṣā (initiation) and Vidyā (spiritual science) as the gateway to siddhi—implying the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-oriented path where disciplined practice, mantra, and consecration under a guru culminate in both purification and higher attainments.

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

Spoken by Lord Kūrma in the Ishvara Gita, it frames liberating Vidyā and Dīkṣā in a way consistent with Pāśupata (Shaiva) soteriology while delivered by Vishnu—reflecting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where one supreme reality teaches through both Shaiva and Vaishnava idioms.