Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 138

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

Devanagari script

सहस्त्ररश्मिः सत्त्वस्था महेश्वरपदाश्रया / क्षालिनी सन्मयी व्याप्ता तैजसी पद्मबोधिका

Transliteration

sahastraraśmiḥ sattvasthā maheśvarapadāśrayā / kṣālinī sanmayī vyāptā taijasī padmabodhikā

Translation

তেওঁ সহস্ৰৰশ্মিময় জ্যোতি, সত্ত্বত স্থিত; মহেশ্বৰৰ পৰম পদত আশ্ৰিতা। তেওঁ ক্ষালিনী—পবিত্ৰকাৰিণী, সন্ময়ী, সৰ্বব্যাপিনী; তেওঁ তেজোময়ী, আৰু পদ্মসদৃশ অন্তৰ্জ্ঞান জাগ্ৰতকাৰিণী।

Word by Word

• सहस्त्ररश्मिः: having a thousand rays
• सहस्त्ररश्मिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र + रश्मि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (सहस्रं रश्मयः यस्याः)

• सत्त्वस्था: abiding in sattva (purity)
• सत्त्वस्था: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत्त्व + स्थ (स्था धातु/स्थ-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (सत्त्वे स्थिता)

• महेश्वरपदाश्रया: taking refuge in the feet/state of Maheśvara
• महेश्वरपदाश्रया: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महेश्वर + पद + आश्रय (आ-श्रि धातु, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (महेश्वरस्य पदम् आश्रयते/आश्रिता)

• क्षालिनी: purifying; cleansing
• क्षालिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षालिन् (क्षल् धातु + णिनि, कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त (washing/purifying)

• सन्मयी: made of Being/Truth
• सन्मयी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (सत्स्वरूपा/सता पूर्णा)

• व्याप्ता: all-pervading; pervaded
• व्याप्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: व्याप्त (व्याप् धातु, क्त-कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि/भूतकृदन्तः (pervaded/pervading)

• तैजसी: radiant; fiery
• तैजसी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तेजस् → तैजस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तद्धित-प्रत्ययान्त (तैजस = luminous/fiery)

• पद्मबोधिका: she who awakens/illumines the lotus
• पद्मबोधिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पद्म + बोधिका (बुध् धातु से बोध/बोधक, प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (पद्मस्य बोधिका/पद्मं बोधयति)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (as the Supreme Teacher of the Īśvara-gītā)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Śakti
• Sat
• Tejas

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme Reality as Sat (pure Being) that is all-pervading (vyāptā) and self-luminous (taijasī), manifesting as the purifying spiritual power that awakens inner knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to sattva-sthiti (abiding in purity), inner purification (kṣālinī), and the awakening of the heart-lotus (padma-bodha) through contemplative absorption in the luminous tejas of the Divine.

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

By grounding the divine power in “Maheśvara’s supreme station” while spoken within the Kurma Purana’s Īśvara-gītā discourse, it reflects the text’s non-sectarian synthesis where the Supreme is one, expressed through both Śaiva (Maheśvara) and Vaiṣṇava revelation.