Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

Devī-tattva, Śakti–Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla–Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction

Devanagari script

एका माहेश्वरी शक्तिरनेकोपाधियोगतः / परावरेण रूपेण क्रीडते तस्य सन्निधौ

Transliteration

ekā māheśvarī śaktiranekopādhiyogataḥ / parāvareṇa rūpeṇa krīḍate tasya sannidhau

Translation

The Maheshvarī Power of Śiva is one; yet, through association with many upādhis (limiting adjuncts), she plays her līlā—manifesting in higher and lower forms—in the very presence of the Supreme Lord.

Word by Word

• ekā: one
• ekā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• māheśvarī: Maheshvara’s
• māheśvarī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māheśvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• śaktiḥ: power
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• aneka-upādhi-yogataḥ: due to association with many limiting adjuncts
• aneka-upādhi-yogataḥ: Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: aneka (प्रातिपदिक) + upādhi (प्रातिपदिक) + yogataḥ (yogatas, अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: हेतु/निमित्त-अव्यय (ablatival adverb) ‘-तः’ = from/because of; समासः (बहुपद-तत्पुरुष)

• parāvareṇa: with higher-and-lower (i.e., various)
• parāvareṇa: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parāvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वः (पर + अवर = higher and lower) used adjectivally

• rūpeṇa: by/with a form
• rūpeṇa: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• krīḍate: plays, sports
• krīḍate: Kriyā (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √krīḍ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• tasya: of him/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• sannidhau: in the presence
• sannidhau: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sannidhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara (Shiva)
• Śakti
• Upādhi

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that the One Reality remains present as the witness-ground, while the single divine Śakti appears manifold due to upādhis (conditioning factors). Multiplicity belongs to manifestation, not to the Supreme.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to viveka (discriminative insight) central to Pāśupata-oriented contemplation: discern the One Śakti and the Lord’s presence behind changing “higher/lower” states produced by upādhis, reducing identification with conditioned forms.

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

By calling the power “Māheśvarī” while placing her play “in the presence of Him,” the verse supports Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis: Śiva’s Śakti operates without contradiction within the supreme Lord’s non-dual sovereignty.