Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

शिवा सर्वगतानान्ता गुणातीता सुनिष्कला / एकानेकविभागस्था ज्ञानरूपातिलालसा

Transliteration

śivā sarvagatānāntā guṇātītā suniṣkalā / ekānekavibhāgasthā jñānarūpātilālasā

Translation

Sie—Śivā, die höchst Glückverheißende—durchdringt alles und ist ohne Ende; sie übersteigt die Guṇas und ist vollkommen ungeteilt. Obwohl eins, bleibt sie als Grundlage der vielen Unterscheidungen bestehen, und ihre eigene Gestalt ist Bewusstsein, stets auf das Erwachen wahren Wissens gerichtet.

Word by Word

• śivā: auspicious; Śivā
• śivā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण/नाम

• sarva-gatā: all-pervading
• sarva-gatā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + gata (√gam धातु, क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (उपपद/कर्मधारय-प्रायः: ‘सर्वत्र गता’)

• anantā: endless, infinite
• anantā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• guṇa-atītā: beyond the guṇas
• guṇa-atītā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + atīta (√i धातु, क्त; ‘अतिक्रान्त’)
• Form: कृदन्त-विशेषण; स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (द्वितीया-तत्पुरुष/‘गुणान् अतीता’)

• su-niṣkalā: perfectly partless
• su-niṣkalā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: su (अव्यय) + niṣkala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः (सु + निष्कला), विशेषण

• ekā-aneka-vibhāga-sthā: abiding in divisions as one and many
• ekā-aneka-vibhāga-sthā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ekā (प्रातिपदिक) + aneka (प्रातिपदिक) + vibhāga (प्रातिपदिक) + sthā (√sthā धातु, क्त/स्थ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सम्बन्ध/अधिकरणार्थ: ‘एक-अनेक-विभागेषु स्थिता’), कृदन्त-विशेषण

• jñāna-rūpā: having the form of knowledge
• jñāna-rūpā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jñāna (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/‘ज्ञानस्य रूपम्’), विशेषण

• ati-lālasā: exceedingly eager
• ati-lālasā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय) + lālasā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; अव्ययीभावः, विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) teaching the Ishvara Gita (Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Shiva
• Ishvara (Supreme Lord)
• Guṇas
• Jñāna (Knowledge)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as all-pervading and infinite, beyond the guṇas and without parts—one reality that nevertheless appears as the many divisions, with consciousness (jñāna) as its essential nature.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds jñāna-centered realization: meditative discernment of the partless, guṇa-transcending reality that underlies all multiplicity—an orientation consistent with Pāśupata-aligned inner renunciation and knowledge leading to mokṣa.

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

By having Lord Kūrma teach the Supreme as “Śivā” (the auspicious, transcendent reality), it reflects the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the one Ishvara is expressed through both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava language without contradiction.