Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 67

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

Iśvara-Gītā Prelude

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा देवं समायान्तं विष्णुमात्मानमव्ययम् / जानुभ्यामवनिं गत्वा तुष्टाव गरुडध्वजम्

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā devaṃ samāyāntaṃ viṣṇumātmānamavyayam / jānubhyāmavaniṃ gatvā tuṣṭāva garuḍadhvajam

Translation

Seeing the Lord approaching—Vishnu, the imperishable Supreme Self—he went down to the ground upon his knees and praised the bearer of Garuḍa as His banner.

Word by Word

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: dṛś (दृश् धातु) → dṛṣṭvā (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ktvā), avyayībhāva-kriyāviśeṣaṇa; 'having seen'

• devam: the god
• devam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• samāyāntam: approaching, coming near
• samāyāntam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ā-yā (सम्+आ+या धातु) → samāyānta (शतृदन्त/वर्तमान कृदन्त)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ/śatṛ), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular, Masculine; agreeing with devam/viṣṇum

• viṣṇum: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇum: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; apposition to devam

• ātmānam: the Self
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; in apposition to viṣṇum

• avyayam: imperishable
• avyayam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; adjective qualifying viṣṇum/ātmānam

• jānubhyām: with (his) knees
• jānubhyām: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Dual (द्विवचन)

• avanim: the earth, ground
• avanim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avanī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• gatvā: having gone (down)
• gatvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: gam (गम् धातु) → gatvā (क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Absolutive (क्त्वा/ktvā), avyaya; 'having gone (to)'

• tuṣṭāva: praised, extolled
• tuṣṭāva: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: stu (स्तु धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, Perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• garuḍa-dhvajam: the one with Garuḍa as his banner
• garuḍa-dhvajam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: garuḍa (प्रातिपदिक) + dhvaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa: 'whose banner is Garuḍa' (epithet of Viṣṇu)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic sūta-style narration describing the devotee/king’s act of reverence toward Vishnu)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Atman
• Garuḍadhvaja (Vishnu with Garuda as his emblem)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling Vishnu “ātmānam avyayam,” the verse identifies the Lord with the imperishable Ātman—unchanging reality worthy of ultimate refuge and praise.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds a foundational discipline: humility and surrender (namra-bhāva/śaraṇāgati). In the Kurma Purana’s broader yogic ethos, such reverence stabilizes the mind and supports devotion-oriented contemplation of the imperishable Self.

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

Though Vishnu is named explicitly, the theological move is non-sectarian: the Lord is addressed as the imperishable Ātman—language commonly shared across Shaiva and Vaishnava frames in the Kurma Purana’s synthesis.