Shloka 37

Manvantaras, Indras, Saptarṣis, and the Seven Sustaining Manifestations; Vyāsa as Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

एष सर्वं सृजत्यादौ पाति हन्ति च केशवः / भूतान्तरात्मा भगवान् नारायण इति श्रुतिः

Transliteration

eṣa sarvaṃ sṛjatyādau pāti hanti ca keśavaḥ / bhūtāntarātmā bhagavān nārāyaṇa iti śrutiḥ

Translation

Er ist es—Keśava—der am Anfang alles erschafft, bewahrt und auch die Auflösung bewirkt. Die Śruti verkündet, dass dieser selige Herr Nārāyaṇa ist, das innere Selbst in allen Wesen.

Word by Word

• eṣaḥ: this (one)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; demonstrative pronoun

• sarvam: all (this)
• sarvam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of verbs

• sṛjati: creates
• sṛjati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada

• ādau: in the beginning
• ādau: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverbial locative used as avyaya: Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; ‘in the beginning’

• pāti: protects
• pāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pā (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• hanti: destroys
• hanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

• keśavaḥ: Keśava
• keśavaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: keśava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• bhūta-antara-ātmā: the inner Self within beings
• bhūta-antara-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; compound meaning ‘inner self of beings’ (षष्ठी/सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष sense)

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha/Quotation marker (इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (इति-निपात) marking end of designation

• śrutiḥ: the scripture/śruti (says)
• śrutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

Speaker

Traditional narrator within the Kurma Purana’s discourse (attributing the doctrine to Śruti/Vedic authority)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Keshava
• Narayana
• Shruti

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme Lord as bhūtāntarātmā—the indwelling Self within all beings—linking cosmic lordship (creation, preservation, dissolution) with inner immanence (Antaryāmin).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports antaryāmin-dhyāna: meditating on Nārāyaṇa/Īśvara as the inner witness and controller in all beings—an inward contemplative basis compatible with Kurma Purana’s Yoga-shastra and Pāśupata-oriented devotion.

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

By grounding the teaching in Śruti and presenting a single Supreme who performs all cosmic functions and dwells in all beings, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where the One Īśvara is honored through both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva theological language.