Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 59

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

Devanagari script

अष्टहस्तां विशालाक्षीं चन्द्रावयवभूषणाम् / निर्गुणां सगुणां साक्षात् सदसद्व्यक्तिवर्जिताम्

Transliteration

aṣṭahastāṃ viśālākṣīṃ candrāvayavabhūṣaṇām / nirguṇāṃ saguṇāṃ sākṣāt sadasadvyaktivarjitām

Translation

I beheld Her with eight arms and wide, expansive eyes, adorned with lunar ornaments—yet in truth She is both Nirguṇa and Saguṇa, directly present, and free from all manifestation as either being or non-being.

Word by Word

• अष्टहस्ताम्: eight-armed
• अष्टहस्ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अष्ट + हस्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (अष्टौ हस्ताः यस्याः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; पूर्वपदात् ‘पुत्रीम्’ (पूर्वश्लोक) इति विशेषणान्वय

• विशालाक्षीम्: large-eyed
• विशालाक्षीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशाल + अक्षि/अक्षी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (विशाले अक्षिणी यस्याः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• चन्द्र-अवयव-भूषणाम्: adorned with the moon as an ornament
• चन्द्र-अवयव-भूषणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चन्द्र + अवयव + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चन्द्रस्य अवयवः भूषणं यस्याः / चन्द्रावयवेन भूषिता), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• निर्गुणाम्: without attributes
• निर्गुणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सगुणाम्: with attributes
• सगुणाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सगुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• साक्षात्: directly, manifestly
• साक्षात्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/विशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: साक्षात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (directly/in person)

• सत्-असत्-व्यक्ति-वर्जिताम्: devoid of manifestation as being and non-being
• सत्-असत्-व्यक्ति-वर्जिताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सत् + असत् + व्यक्ति + वर्जित (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सत्-असत्-व्यक्त्या वर्जिता), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘वर्जित’ = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) describing the Supreme (Ishvara/Shakti) in Ishvara Gita style teaching

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Ishvara
• Shakti/Devi
• Chandra (Moon)
• Guṇas (Sattva-Rajas-Tamas)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as simultaneously nirguṇa (beyond all limiting qualities) and saguṇa (worshipfully approachable through form), indicating that the Atman/Ishvara is not confined to any single category like existence/non-existence or manifest/unmanifest.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to a two-tier contemplation used in Pashupata-aligned practice: begin with saguṇa-dhyāna (a concrete, iconographic form such as an eight-armed Devi) and mature into nirguṇa-jñāna (recognition of the same reality as beyond guṇas and beyond all conceptual opposites).

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

By describing the Supreme as both with-form and beyond-form, the Kurma Purana supports a non-sectarian synthesis: the same ultimate Ishvara can be praised through Shaiva or Vaishnava idioms without contradiction, since the essence transcends all limiting manifestations.