Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 51

Prākṛta Sṛṣṭi and Pralaya: From Pradhāna to Brahmāṇḍa; Trimūrti Samanvaya

Devanagari script

सृष्टं च पाति सकलं विश्वात्मा विश्वतोमुखः / सत्त्वं गुणमुपाश्रित्य विष्णुर्विश्वेश्वरः स्वयम्

Transliteration

sṛṣṭaṃ ca pāti sakalaṃ viśvātmā viśvatomukhaḥ / sattvaṃ guṇamupāśritya viṣṇurviśveśvaraḥ svayam

Translation

Vishnu—Himself the Lord of the universe, the Self of all, and the One whose faces are everywhere—preserves the entire created world, taking refuge in the quality of sattva (purity and luminosity).

Word by Word

• सृष्टम्: created (the created world)
• सृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (that which is created)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक conjunction

• पाति: protects
• पाति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सकलम्: entire
• सकलम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies सृष्टम्)

• विश्वात्मा: the soul of the universe
• विश्वात्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व+आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विश्वस्य आत्मा)

• विश्वतोमुखः: having faces everywhere
• विश्वतोमुखः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वतोमुख (प्रातिपदिक; विश्वतः+मुख)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (यस्यानि मुखानि विश्वतः/सर्वतः सः)

• सत्त्वम्: sattva (purity)
• सत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गुणम्: quality
• गुणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सत्त्वम् इति गुणम् (apposition)

• उपाश्रित्य: having resorted to
• उपाश्रित्य: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया/gerundial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप+आश्रि (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (having resorted to)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विश्वेश्वरः: Lord of the universe
• विश्वेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; विश्व+ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विश्वस्य ईश्वरः)

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; आत्मनः-प्रत्ययार्थ (by himself)

Speaker

Narratorial/teaching voice within the Purana (describing Vishnu’s cosmic role as preserver)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Vishveshvara
• Sattva
• Gunas

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as viśvātmā—the indwelling Self of all beings—whose presence is universal (viśvatomukhaḥ), indicating an all-pervading Ishvara who sustains creation from within.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to sattva as the operative support for preservation; in practice this aligns with sattvic sādhanā—purity, restraint, truthfulness, and clarity of mind—foundational disciplines for dhyāna and steadiness in Yoga-shastra frameworks echoed in the Kurma Purana’s spiritual instructions.

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

By calling Vishnu “Viśveśvara” (a title frequently associated with Shiva) while describing Vishnu’s cosmic function, the Kurma Purana signals a shared sovereignty of Ishvara across Shaiva-Vaishnava idioms, supporting its synthesis-oriented theology.