Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26
Nine Creations (Sarga), Guṇa-Streams of Beings, and Brahmā’s Progeny in Cyclic Time
स एव भगवानीशस्तेजोराशिः सनातनः / यं प्रपश्यन्ति विद्वांसः स्वात्मस्थं परमेश्वरम्
sa eva bhagavānīśastejorāśiḥ sanātanaḥ / yaṃ prapaśyanti vidvāṃsaḥ svātmasthaṃ parameśvaram
He alone is Bhagavān Īśa, the Eternal Sovereign—an everlasting mass of divine radiance—whom the wise directly behold as the Supreme Lord abiding within their own Self.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching the sages/Indradyumna-context discourse on the Supreme
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
It identifies the Supreme Lord as directly knowable within one’s own Self (svātma-stha), implying an inward, contemplative realization rather than an external object of perception.
The verse points to inner contemplation and direct seeing (prapaśyanti) of the Lord in the heart—an inward dhyāna aligned with jñāna-oriented yoga where awareness turns to the indwelling Īśvara.
By using universal titles like Īśa and Parameśvara for the one indwelling Supreme, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the highest reality is one, accessible through inner realization beyond names and forms.