Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

Madhu–Kaiṭabha, Nārāyaṇa’s Yoga-Nidrā, Rudra’s Manifestation, and the Aṣṭamūrti–Trimūrti Teaching

Devanagari script

आत्मन्याध्य चात्मानमैश्वरं भावमास्थितः / पीत्वा तदक्षरं ब्रह्म शाश्वतं परमामृतम्

Transliteration

ātmanyādhya cātmānamaiśvaraṃ bhāvamāsthitaḥ / pītvā tadakṣaraṃ brahma śāśvataṃ paramāmṛtam

Translation

Having meditated upon the Self within the Self, and abiding in the sovereign (aiśvara) state of being, one drinks in that Imperishable Brahman—eternal, and the supreme nectar of immortality.

Word by Word

• आत्मनि: in the self
• आत्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• आध्य: having fixed/placed
• आध्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+धा (धातु) + य (ल्यप्/य-प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund-like); अर्थः—‘आधाय/निधाय’ = having placed/fixed

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• आत्मानम्: the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ऐश्वरम्: lordly/divine
• ऐश्वरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘भावम्’ प्रति

• भावम्: state/nature
• भावम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आस्थितः: has assumed/abided in
• आस्थितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+स्था (धातु) + त (क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि—‘(he) has assumed/abided in’

• पीत्वा: having drunk
• पीत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव (absolutive); ‘having drunk’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘ब्रह्म’ प्रति

• अक्षरम्: imperishable
• अक्षरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘ब्रह्म’ प्रति

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शाश्वतम्: eternal
• शाश्वतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘ब्रह्म’ प्रति

• परमामृतम्: supreme nectar (immortality)
• परमामृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम+अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘परमम् अमृतम्’); विशेषणं ‘ब्रह्म’ प्रति

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching the Ishvara Gita

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Ishvara
• Brahman
• Akshara
• Amrita

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It teaches inward absorption: by contemplating the Self in the Self and stabilizing in an aiśvara (Īśvara-aligned) state, the seeker realizes the Akṣara Brahman—experienced as eternal, deathless reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to dhyāna and samādhi-like interiorization—placing awareness in the Atman, abiding steadily in the lordly consciousness (aiśvara-bhāva), and ‘drinking’ Brahman as direct realization rather than conceptual knowledge.

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

By emphasizing aiśvara-bhāva and Akṣara Brahman, it frames the Supreme as one non-dual reality accessible through īśvara-oriented yoga—consistent with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis where the Lord is one, though praised by different names.