Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

Madhu–Kaiṭabha, Nārāyaṇa’s Yoga-Nidrā, Rudra’s Manifestation, and the Aṣṭamūrti–Trimūrti Teaching

Devanagari script

सूर्यो जलं मही वह्निर्वायुराकाशमेव च / दीक्षितो ब्राह्मणश्चन्द्र इत्येता अष्टमूर्तयः

Transliteration

sūryo jalaṃ mahī vahnirvāyurākāśameva ca / dīkṣito brāhmaṇaścandra ityetā aṣṭamūrtayaḥ

Translation

Sonne, Wasser, Erde, Feuer, Wind und auch der Raum; der Eingeweihte (Asket), der Brāhmaṇa und der Mond — dies sind die acht Gestalten (Aṣṭamūrti) des Herrn, so wird verkündet.

Word by Word

• sūryaḥ: Sun
• sūryaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• jalam: water
• jalam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• mahī: earth
• mahī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Singular

• vahniḥ: fire
• vahniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• vāyuḥ: wind
• vāyuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāyu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ākāśam: ether/space
• ākāśam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (अवधारणार्थक)

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयार्थक)

• dīkṣitaḥ: the initiated one
• dīkṣitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dīkṣita (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त from √dīkṣ/√dīkṣāy)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; past participle used substantively (कृदन्तः, क्तान्त)

• brāhmaṇaḥ: a brāhmaṇa
• brāhmaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brāhmaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• candraḥ: Moon
• candraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: candra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात)

• etāḥ: these
• etāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural; pronoun qualifying ‘mūrtayaḥ’

• aṣṭa-mūrtayaḥ: eight forms
• aṣṭa-mūrtayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṣṭa (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative, Plural; द्विगु-समास (‘eight’ + ‘forms’)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (as Ishvara teaching the Ishvara Gita)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara (Shiva as Aṣṭamūrti)
• Surya
• Chandra

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By listing the Aṣṭamūrti, the verse teaches that the Supreme Lord is immanent as the cosmic elements and luminaries, and also present in the sanctified spiritual life (dīkṣita) and Vedic wisdom (brāhmaṇa), pointing to a single Self pervading both nature and dharma.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The mention of the dīkṣita implies disciplined initiation, vows, and consecrated practice—key to Pāśupata-oriented sādhanā—where meditation recognizes the Lord in all tattvas (earth, water, fire, wind, space) and in the regulating lights (sun and moon).

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

In the Ishvara Gita setting, Lord Kurma (a Vishnu form) teaches Ishvara’s Aṣṭamūrti doctrine, reflecting the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the one Supreme is spoken of through both Shaiva (Ishvara/Aṣṭamūrti) and Vaishnava (Kurma as teacher) frameworks.