Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 143

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

Devanagari script

क्षोभिका बन्धिका भेद्या भेदाभेदविवर्जिता / अभिन्नाभिन्नसंस्थाना वंशिनी वंशहारिणी

Transliteration

kṣobhikā bandhikā bhedyā bhedābhedavivarjitā / abhinnābhinnasaṃsthānā vaṃśinī vaṃśahāriṇī

Translation

Sie ist die Erregerin aller Manifestation, die durch begrenzende Bedingungen bindet, und doch auch das, was ‘aufgebrochen’ werden kann, damit die Fessel durchschnitten wird. Sie übersteigt sowohl Unterschied als auch Nicht-Unterschied. Ihre Gestalt erscheint zugleich ungeteilt und geteilt; sie stiftet die Linien der Überlieferung und zieht sie wieder zurück, indem sie Kontinuitäten beendet.

Word by Word

• क्षोभिका: agitator, one who causes stirring
• क्षोभिका: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्षोभिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (क्षोभं करोतीति)

• बन्धिका: binder, one who binds
• बन्धिका: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बन्धिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (बन्धं करोतीति)

• भेद्या: to be divided/penetrable
• भेद्या: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भेद्य (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘भेद्य’ = √भिद् (धातु) यत्-प्रत्यय (gerundive/passive potential), ‘to be split/penetrated’

• भेदाभेदविवर्जिता: free from (the notions of) difference and non-difference
• भेदाभेदविवर्जिता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भेद-अभेद-विवर्जित (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘भेदाभेद’ = द्वन्द्वः (difference and non-difference); ‘विवर्जित’ = √वृज्/वर्ज् (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (भेदाभेदेन विवर्जिता)

• अभिन्नाभिन्नसंस्थाना: having a form that is both undivided and (apparently) divided
• अभिन्नाभिन्नसंस्थाना: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभिन्न-अभिन्न-संस्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अभिन्नाभिन्न’ = द्वन्द्वः (undivided and divided/appearing divided); तत्पुरुषः (अभिन्नाभिन्नं संस्थानं यस्याः) विशेषणम्

• वंशिनी: flute-player / one with a flute
• वंशिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंशिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वंशहारिणी: one who carries/steals the flute
• वंशहारिणी: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वंश-हारिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (वंशं हरतीति) ‘हारिणी’ = √हृ (धातु) णिनि-प्रत्ययान्त-प्रातिपदिक

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages in the Ishvara Gita section

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shakti
• Ishvara
• Maya
• Gunas

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By saying she is beyond both ‘difference’ and ‘non-difference,’ the verse points to a reality that cannot be captured by ordinary categories: the one Self appears as many through power (śakti), yet in truth remains unbroken and non-dual.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse implies the yogic task of cutting bondage (bandha) by discerning the binding power of māyā/guṇas and realizing the transcendent principle beyond bheda/abheda—an inner move central to Pāśupata-oriented liberation: loosening identification with the divided appearance and abiding in the undivided reality.

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

In the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology, the supreme principle spoken by Kurma can be expressed as Ishvara with inseparable Shakti—compatible with both Shaiva (Shiva-Shakti) and Vaishnava (Vishnu-Shakti) idioms—thus supporting a non-sectarian, non-dual reading.