Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 160

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

अस्या महत्परमेष्ठी परस्ता- न्महेश्वरः शिव एको ऽथ रुद्रः / चकार विश्वं परशक्तिनिष्ठां मायामथारुह्य स देवदेवः

Transliteration

asyā mahatparameṣṭhī parastā- nmaheśvaraḥ śiva eko 'tha rudraḥ / cakāra viśvaṃ paraśaktiniṣṭhāṃ māyāmathāruhya sa devadevaḥ

Translation

Jenseits des Mahat und jenseits des höchsten Schöpfers (Parameṣṭhin) steht der eine Maheśvara—Śiva, ja Rudra. Indem jener Gott der Götter Māyā bestieg, die in der Parā-Śakti ruht, brachte er das Universum hervor.

Word by Word

• अस्याः: of her
• अस्याः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• महत्-परमेष्ठी: the great Paramesthin (supreme lord)
• महत्-परमेष्ठी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक) + परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); कर्मधारय (the great Paramesthin)

• परस्तात्: beyond/above
• परस्तात्: देशाधिकरण (Spatial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: परस्तात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place: beyond/above)

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara
• महेश्वरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शिव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एकः: one/sole
• एकः: विशेषण (Adjectival modifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); महेश्वरः/शिवः इति विशेषण

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमार्थ (then)

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• चकार: made/created
• चकार: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन (Singular)

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (N), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• पर-शक्ति-निष्ठाम्: (that) established in the supreme power
• पर-शक्ति-निष्ठाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; apposition/qualifier to माया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परा (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + निष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); तत्पुरुष (resting in the supreme power)

• मायाम्: māyā (creative illusion/power)
• मायाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (F), द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अथ: then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Discourse connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रमार्थ (then)

• आरुह्य: having mounted/ascended
• आरुह्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action; gerund)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-रुह् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; ल्यप् (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• देव-देवः: God of gods
• देव-देवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (M), प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (god of gods)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing the sages/Indradyumna in the Upari-bhāga’s Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Śiva
• Rudra
• Māyā
• Parā-śakti

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents Maheśvara (Śiva/Rudra) as transcending even mahat (cosmic intellect) and the creator-function, implying an ultimate Lord/Reality beyond all tattvas—source and overseer of manifestation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Pāśupata-style contemplation of Īśvara as the transcendent cause: meditation on the Lord as beyond prakṛti’s evolutes (like mahat) while recognizing Māyā/Śakti as the operative power through which the cosmos appears.

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

Within the Kūrma Purāṇa’s harmonizing frame, the teaching voiced in a Vaiṣṇava setting affirms Śiva/Rudra as the supreme creative Lord, reflecting a non-sectarian synthesis where the highest Īśvara is praised across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava idioms.