Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 165

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

Devanagari script

संकल्पसिद्धा साम्यस्था सर्वविज्ञानदायिनी / कलिकल्पषहन्त्री च गुह्योपनिषदुत्तमा

Transliteration

saṃkalpasiddhā sāmyasthā sarvavijñānadāyinī / kalikalpaṣahantrī ca guhyopaniṣaduttamā

Translation

Sie ist Saṅkalpa-siddhā, die Erfüllerin des heiligen Entschlusses; gegründet in vollkommener Gleichmut; Spenderin allen wahren Wissens. Sie ist auch die Vernichterin des Kali-Zeitalters und seiner Machenschaften; die höchste, geheime Upaniṣad-Lehre.

Word by Word

• संकल्प-सिद्धा: whose resolve is accomplished
• संकल्प-सिद्धा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नामविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: संकल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + सिद्ध (कृदन्त, √सिध्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त ‘सिद्ध’ + तत्पुरुषः (accomplished by will / whose resolve is fulfilled)

• साम्य-स्था: abiding in equanimity
• साम्य-स्था: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नामविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: साम्य (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (कृदन्त, √स्था)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कृदन्त ‘स्थ’ (standing/abiding) + तत्पुरुषः (abiding in equanimity)

• सर्व-विज्ञान-दायिनी: giver of all knowledge
• सर्व-विज्ञान-दायिनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक) + दायिनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (giver of all knowledge)

• कलि-कल्प-षहन्त्री: destroyer of Kali’s order
• कलि-कल्प-षहन्त्री: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नाम)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कलि (प्रातिपदिक) + कल्प (प्रातिपदिक) + सहन्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः; ‘सहन्त्री’ (destroyer/overcomer) (destroyer of Kali’s kalpa/arrangement)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction ‘and’)

• गुह्य-उपनिषद्-उत्तमा: supreme secret Upaniṣad
• गुह्य-उपनिषद्-उत्तमा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—नामविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य (प्रातिपदिक) + उपनिषद् (प्रातिपदिक) + उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (supreme among secret Upaniṣads / the best secret Upaniṣad)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching within the Ishvara Gita framework

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Vishnu
• Ishvara Gita
• Kali
• Upanishad

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By describing the highest principle as “guhyopaniṣaduttamā” and “sarvavijñānadāyinī,” the verse points to an Upaniṣadic, liberating wisdom that reveals the Self through discriminative knowledge and inner equanimity.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The key yogic marker is “sāmyasthā” (steadiness in sameness), indicating sama-bhāva/equanimity—central to Pāśupata-oriented discipline where steadied mind and right knowledge overcome the defects associated with Kali.

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

Within the Ishvara Gita’s synthesis, the “supreme secret Upaniṣad” and giver of all wisdom is presented in a way compatible with both Shaiva and Vaishnava readings—one highest reality taught by Kurma (Vishnu) using a vocabulary shared with Shaiva-Pāśupata spirituality.