Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 112
Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching
Iśvara-Gītā Prelude
सो ऽपि योगिनमन्वीक्ष्य प्रणमन्तमुपस्थितम् / प्रत्युद्गम्य स्वयं देवो विश्वात्मा परिषस्वजे
so 'pi yoginamanvīkṣya praṇamantamupasthitam / pratyudgamya svayaṃ devo viśvātmā pariṣasvaje
Als Er den Yogin vor sich sah, der in ehrfürchtiger Verneigung dastand, trat der Gott selbst—das universale Selbst—ihm entgegen und umarmte ihn.
Narrator (Purana narrator describing the Lord’s action in the story-frame)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
By calling the Lord “Viśvātmā,” it identifies Him as the indwelling Self of all beings, implying that the divine presence is universal and not limited to a single form.
The verse emphasizes the yogin’s humility and surrender (praṇāma) as a yogic discipline; it presents devotion and reverence as supportive to higher realization, aligning Yoga with divine grace rather than mere technique.
Though Vishnu/Kūrma is implied as the welcoming Lord, the title “Viśvātmā” frames the deity as the universal divine principle—supporting the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where the Supreme is one, expressed through multiple theistic forms.