Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68
Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany
सहस्त्रशीर्षा भूत्वाहं सहस्त्राक्षः सहस्त्रपात् सहस्त्रबाहुर्युक्तात्मा शयितो ऽहं सनातनः
sahastraśīrṣā bhūtvāhaṃ sahastrākṣaḥ sahastrapāt sahastrabāhuryuktātmā śayito 'haṃ sanātanaḥ
Assuming the cosmic form of a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet, and a thousand arms—self-possessed, perfectly integrated in Yoga—I, the Eternal One, lie reposed as the timeless ground of all.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu/Narayana speaking in a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis context)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It portrays the Supreme as both immanent and cosmic—manifesting as the all-pervading virāṭ with “thousand” limbs (infinite powers), yet remaining sanātana, the eternal ground in which the universe rests.
The key term yuktātmā indicates yogic integration—steady, collected consciousness. The verse supports meditation on the Lord as the cosmic form while emphasizing inner self-mastery (yoga-yukti) rather than mere visualization.
By presenting the Supreme as the single eternal Ishvara who pervades all forms and powers, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian stance: the highest reality transcends names and is approached through both Shaiva (yoga/īśvara) and Vaishnava (Narayana/avatāra) idioms.