Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 39

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

Devanagari script

गन्धर्वा गरुडा ऋक्षाः सिद्धाः साध्याश्चचारणाः / यक्षरक्षः पिशाचाश्च स्थिताः शास्त्रे स्वयंभुवः

Transliteration

gandharvā garuḍā ṛkṣāḥ siddhāḥ sādhyāścacāraṇāḥ / yakṣarakṣaḥ piśācāśca sthitāḥ śāstre svayaṃbhuvaḥ

Translation

গন্ধর্ব, গরুড়, ঋক্ষ, সিদ্ধ, সাধ্য ও চারণ; তদ্রূপ যক্ষ, রাক্ষস ও পিশাচ—সবাই স্বয়ম্ভূর শাস্ত্র-বিধান অনুসারে নিজ নিজ স্থানে প্রতিষ্ঠিত।

Word by Word

• गन्धर्वाः: Gandharvas
• गन्धर्वाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• गरुडाः: Garuḍas
• गरुडाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ऋक्षाः: bears/ṛkṣas
• ऋक्षाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सिद्धाः: Siddhas
• सिद्धाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• साध्याः: Sādhyas
• साध्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• चारणाः: Cāraṇas
• चारणाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• यक्षाः: Yakṣas
• यक्षाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• रक्षः: Rākṣasas/demons
• रक्षः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (collective; often used for ‘Rākṣasas’)

• पिशाचाः: Piśācas
• पिशाचाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पिशाच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction/particle)

• स्थिताः: are established/are situated
• स्थिताः: Kriya (क्रिया/स्थितिः)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle/क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; क्रियासमानाधिकरण (predicate participle)

• शास्त्रे: in the scripture/ordinance
• शास्त्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• स्वयंभुवः: the Self-born (Brahmā)
• स्वयंभुवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयंभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (epithet; ‘the Self-born’)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s cosmological-dharmic account as taught in the tradition

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Svayambhu (Brahma)
• Gandharvas
• Garudas
• Siddhas
• Sadhyas
• Charanas
• Yakshas
• Rakshasas
• Pishachas

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it presents an ordered cosmos where each class of beings has a fixed station under divine ordinance, implying a higher regulating principle beyond individual forms—consistent with the Purana’s view that the Supreme governs manifestation through śāstra and cosmic law.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific practice is taught in this verse; it provides the cosmological backdrop that later supports yogic discipline—Yoga is framed as aligning oneself with the divinely established order (dharma) rather than opposing it.

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

By emphasizing a single cosmic ordinance establishing all beings, the verse supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the world-order is ultimately one, even when expressed through Shaiva and Vaishnava theological languages elsewhere in the text.