Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29

Cosmic Realms Above Dhruva, the Pātālas Below, and the Foundation of Pralaya

Ananta–Kāla

Devanagari script

सहस्त्रमायो ऽप्रतिमः संहर्ता शङ्करोद्भवः / तामसी शांभवी मूर्तिः कालो लोकप्रकालनः

Transliteration

sahastramāyo 'pratimaḥ saṃhartā śaṅkarodbhavaḥ / tāmasī śāṃbhavī mūrtiḥ kālo lokaprakālanaḥ

Translation

Er, mit tausend Kräften der Māyā, unvergleichlich, der Auflöser—aus Śaṅkara hervorgegangen; Seine Śāmbhava-Gestalt ist tāmasisch (mit der Auflösung verbunden). Er ist die Zeit selbst, der Lenker und Reifer der Welten.

Word by Word

• सहस्रमायः: of a thousand powers/illusions
• सहस्रमायः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र + माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (सहस्राणि मायाः यस्य/बहुमायः—usage as epithet)

• अप्रतिमः: incomparable
• अप्रतिमः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप्रतिम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• संहर्ता: destroyer
• संहर्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + हृ (धातु) → संहर्तृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृच्-प्रत्ययान्त (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• शङ्करोद्भवः: born from Śaṅkara
• शङ्करोद्भवः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्कर + उद्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शङ्करात् उद्भवः = arisen from Śaṅkara)

• तामसी: dark, of tamas
• तामसी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तामस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शांभवी: Śambhu’s / pertaining to Śiva
• शांभवी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाम्भव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (Śambhu-related)

• मूर्तिः: form, embodiment
• मूर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लोकप्रकालनः: regulator of the worlds
• लोकप्रकालनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + प्रकालन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (लोकस्य प्रकालनः = regulator/impeller of the worlds)

Speaker

Primary narrator in the Purva-bhaga (Suta to the sages), describing Rudra/Śiva’s cosmic function in a litany of epithets

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Shankara
• Shambhu (Shiva)
• Kala (Time)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By identifying the Lord with Kāla (Time) and the cosmic dissolver, the verse points to a supreme principle that transcends individual events and governs creation’s withdrawal—an aspect of the one Īśvara functioning as universal regulator.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse itself is theological rather than procedural, but it supports meditative contemplation (dhyāna) on Rudra as Kāla and saṃhartā—useful in Pāśupata-oriented reflection on impermanence, detachment (vairāgya), and the dissolution of egoic identifications.

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

It frames Śiva (Śaṅkara/Śāmbhava) as the divine source of the dissolving power and identifies him with cosmic Time, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology where the one Īśvara is praised through complementary Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava lenses.