Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 35

Rudra’s Cosmic Dance and the Recognition of Rudra–Nārāyaṇa Unity (Īśvara-gītā Continuation)

Devanagari script

त्वमक्षरं परमं वेदितव्यं त्वमस्य विश्वस्य परं निधानम् / त्वमव्ययः शाश्वतधर्मगोप्ता सनातनस्त्वं पुरुषोत्तमो ऽसि

Transliteration

tvamakṣaraṃ paramaṃ veditavyaṃ tvamasya viśvasya paraṃ nidhānam / tvamavyayaḥ śāśvatadharmagoptā sanātanastvaṃ puruṣottamo 'si

Translation

You are the Imperishable—supreme and to be truly known. You are the highest refuge and final repository of this entire universe. You are the undecaying One, the guardian of the eternal Dharma; you are the Ancient (Beginningless) One—indeed, you are the Supreme Person (Puruṣottama).

Word by Word

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• akṣaram: the imperishable
• akṣaram: Karma (कर्म; ‘you are the imperishable’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-kṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (tvam इत्यस्य)

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (akṣaram/veditavyam इत्यस्य)

• veditavyam: to be known
• veditavyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √vid (धातु) → veditavya (कृदन्त)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्यय (तव्यत्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be known’

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• asya: of this
• asya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• viśvasya: of the universe
• viśvasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• param: highest
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (nidhānam इत्यस्य)

• nidhānam: treasure, repository, resting-place
• nidhānam: Karma (कर्म; ‘you are the supreme repository’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समानाधिकरण

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• avyayaḥ: unchanging
• avyayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-vyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• śāśvata-dharma-goptā: protector of the eternal dharma
• śāśvata-dharma-goptā: Karta (कर्ता; समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śāśvata (प्रातिपदिक) + dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + goptṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (शाश्वतस्य धर्मस्य गोप्ता)

• sanātanaḥ: ancient, eternal
• sanātanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sanātana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• puruṣa-uttamaḥ: the सर्वोत्तम पुरुष / Supreme Person
• puruṣa-uttamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; asi)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + uttama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (पुरुषेषु उत्तमः)

• asi: are
• asi: Kriyā (क्रिया; copula)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम

Speaker

A devotee/sage offering praise to the Supreme Lord (addressed as Puruṣottama, i.e., Hari/Nārāyaṇa as the transcendent Akṣara)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Akshara
• Dharma
• Purushottama
• Vishva (Cosmos)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme as Akṣara (imperishable) and Avyaya (unchanging), the ultimate reality to be realized—both the transcendent ground and the final refuge of the cosmos.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes jñeya-tattva (the Reality to be known): meditation on the imperishable Akṣara and steady contemplation of the Lord as the protector of Dharma—core to Purāṇic bhakti-yoga and the inward focus prized in Pāśupata-oriented discipline.

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

By praising the one Supreme as the eternal guardian of Dharma and the imperishable reality, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the highest Lord (Īśvara) can be invoked as Hari or as Rudra in essence, without contradiction.