Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 36

Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching

Iśvara-Gītā Prelude

Devanagari script

उत्पत्तिं प्रलयं चैव भूतनामागतिं गतिम् / विज्ञायान्वीक्ष्य चात्मानं तरन्ति विपुलामिमाम्

Transliteration

utpattiṃ pralayaṃ caiva bhūtanāmāgatiṃ gatim / vijñāyānvīkṣya cātmānaṃ taranti vipulāmimām

Translation

Knowing the arising and dissolution of beings, and understanding their coming and going, those who discern and contemplate the Self (Ātman) cross beyond this vast ocean of saṃsāra.

Word by Word

• उत्पत्तिम्: origin, creation
• उत्पत्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: utpatti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• प्रलयम्: dissolution
• प्रलयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pralaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed, just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधारण (emphasis)

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen.), बहुवचन (pl.)

• आगतिम्: coming, arrival
• आगतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āgati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• गतिम्: going, course/destination
• गतिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• विज्ञाय: having known
• विज्ञाय: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-√ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having known’

• अन्वीक्ष्य: having examined
• अन्वीक्ष्य: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-√ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), ‘having examined/considered’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• आत्मानम्: the Self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.)

• तरन्ति: they cross over
• तरन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √तॄ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन (pl.), परस्मैपद

• विपुलाम्: vast, great
• विपुलाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण (qualifier)

• इमाम्: this
• इमाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Acc.), एकवचन (sg.); सर्वनाम (pronoun)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) teaching within the Īśvara-gītā discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Bhuta (beings/elements)
• Utpatti (creation)
• Pralaya (dissolution)
• Saṃsāra (implied)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents Ātman as the knowable, contemplatable reality by which one transcends saṃsāra—beyond the cycles of beings’ birth (utpatti) and dissolution (pralaya).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes jñāna-yoga–style inquiry (anvīkṣā): disciplined investigation and contemplation of the Self, aligned with the Īśvara-gītā’s liberation-focused teaching within the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-oriented framework.

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

By framing liberation through Ātman-realization taught by Lord Kūrma in an Īśvara-gītā setting associated with Pāśupata currents, it reflects the Purana’s synthetic, non-sectarian approach where ultimate truth and mokṣa-teaching are shared across Shaiva–Vaishnava idioms.