Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Incarnations of Mahādeva in Kali-yuga (Vaivasvata Manvantara) and the Nakulīśa Horizon

Devanagari script

सुमुखो दुर्मुखश्चैव दुर्दमो दुरतिक्रमः / सनः सनातनश्चैव मुकारश्च सनन्दनः

Transliteration

sumukho durmukhaścaiva durdamo duratikramaḥ / sanaḥ sanātanaścaiva mukāraśca sanandanaḥ

Translation

Er ist der mit glückverheißendem Antlitz (Sumukha) und auch der mit furchterregendem Antlitz (Durmukha); der Unbezwingbare (Durdama) und der Unüberschreitbare (Duratikrama). Er ist Sana und der Ewige (Sanātana); er ist die heilige Silbe „Mu“ und auch Sanandana.

Word by Word

• सु-मुखः: Sumukha (name)
• सु-मुखः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सु (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: सुमुखः (good-faced; name)

• दुर्-मुखः: Durmukha (name)
• दुर्-मुखः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: दुर्मुखः (hard-faced; name)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण

• दुर्-दमः: Durdama (name)
• दुर्-दमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + दम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: दुर्दमः (hard to tame; name)

• दुर्-अतिक्रमः: Duratikrama (name)
• दुर्-अतिक्रमः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर् (उपसर्ग/अव्यय) + अतिक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: दुरतिक्रमः (hard to surpass; name)

• सनः: Sana (name)
• सनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• सनातनः: Sanātana (name)
• सनातनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• एव: indeed
• एव: Avadharana (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारण

• मुकारः: Mukāra (name)
• मुकारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (mukāra)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयबोधक

• सनन्दनः: Sanandana (name)
• सनन्दनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सनन्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम

Speaker

Traditional narrator within the Purana presenting the Lord’s names (Sahasranama style), ultimately referring to Lord Kurma/Vishnu as the Supreme

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Sanandana

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By pairing opposites—auspicious and fearsome, gentle and unrestrainable—the verse implies the Supreme is beyond limited human categories, encompassing all powers while remaining eternal (sanātana) and unsurpassable (duratikrama).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports nāma-smaraṇa and mantra-oriented contemplation: meditating on divine names and seed-sounds (like “mukāra”) to steady the mind and recognize the Lord as the inner, timeless reality.

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

Though framed as names of Vishnu/Kurma, the theology is synthetic: the Supreme is described as all-encompassing and beyond form-limits, aligning with Purāṇic non-dual devotion where sectarian distinctions (Śaiva/Vaiṣṇava) are harmonized in one Ishvara.