Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 65

Tīrtha-māhātmya and Rudra’s Samanvaya Teaching

Maṅkaṇaka Episode

Devanagari script

स एष मायया विश्वं व्यामोहयति विश्ववित् / नारायणः परो ऽव्यक्तो मायारूप इति श्रुतिः

Transliteration

sa eṣa māyayā viśvaṃ vyāmohayati viśvavit / nārāyaṇaḥ paro 'vyakto māyārūpa iti śrutiḥ

Translation

He, knower of the whole universe, through His Māyā causes this world to be deluded. Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme, the Unmanifest (Avyakta); the Śruti declares that He is of the nature of Māyā—as its Lord and power.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एषः: this (one)
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; appositional)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मायया: by (his) māyā
• मायया: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• विश्वम्: the universe
• विश्वम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• व्या-मोहयति: bewilders; deludes
• व्या-मोहयति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √मुह् (धातु) with उपसर्ग वि-आ (व्य्-आ)
• Form: लट्-लकार, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; णिच् (causative) भाव: ‘मोहयति’

• विश्व-वित्: knower of the universe
• विश्व-वित्: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विद् (प्रातिपदिक; √विद् (धातु) + क्विप्)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘विश्वं वेत्ति’

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• परः: supreme
• परः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• अव्यक्तः: unmanifest
• अव्यक्तः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• माया-रूपः: having the form of māyā
• माया-रूपः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘मायायाः रूपम्’

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण-निपात (quotative particle), अव्यय

• श्रुतिः: Śruti; revelation
• श्रुतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; ‘the scripture says’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu/Narayana) teaching as part of Purāṇic instruction

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Maya
• Shruti

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme as Nārāyaṇa who is para (transcendent) and avyakta (unmanifest), while also being the omniscient Lord who governs Māyā—the power by which the world-appearance and delusion arise.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse implies a Yogic discernment (viveka) practice: recognizing Māyā as the cause of भ्रम/व्यमोह (delusion) and meditating on the unmanifest Supreme beyond appearances—an essential stance for liberation-oriented Yoga in the Kurma Purana’s teaching milieu.

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

By grounding the teaching in Śruti and presenting the Supreme as beyond manifestation yet immanent through power (Māyā), it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the one Supreme Lord can be praised as Nārāyaṇa while remaining compatible with Shaiva metaphysics of Śakti/Māyā and liberation through knowledge.