Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46
Devī-tattva, Śakti–Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla–Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction
मन्ता विश्वेश्वरो देवः शङ्करो मन्मथान्तकः / प्रोच्यते मतिरीशानी मन्तव्या च विचारतः
mantā viśveśvaro devaḥ śaṅkaro manmathāntakaḥ / procyate matirīśānī mantavyā ca vicārataḥ
He is the Inner Guide (the Thinker), the Lord of the universe—God; Śaṅkara, the slayer of Manmatha (Kāma). This understanding is taught as the insight born of Īśānī (the Lord’s power, Śakti), and it is to be contemplated with discerning reflection.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching the Ishvara-Gita to the sages (in the narrative frame with King Indradyumna)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
By calling the Lord “mantā” (the inner knower/guide) and “viśveśvara” (Lord of all), the verse points to Ishvara as the indwelling consciousness that governs and illumines the universe, known through discriminative inquiry (vicāra).
It emphasizes mantra-like contemplative recollection of divine epithets—especially Ishvara as Śaṅkara/Manmathāntaka—combined with vicāra (reflective discrimination), a characteristic method within the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-oriented devotion and meditation.
Within the Ishvara-Gita setting, Vishnu (as Kurma) teaches names and attributes of Śiva as the Supreme Lord, modeling a synthesis where Shiva and Vishnu are approached as one Ishvara through unified contemplation.