Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 38

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

Devanagari script

यदन्तरा सर्वमिदं विभाति यदव्ययं निर्मलमेकरूपम् / किमप्यचिन्त्यं तव रूपमेतत् तदन्तरा यत्प्रतिभाति तत्त्वम्

Transliteration

yadantarā sarvamidaṃ vibhāti yadavyayaṃ nirmalamekarūpam / kimapyacintyaṃ tava rūpametat tadantarā yatpratibhāti tattvam

Translation

That within which all this universe shines forth—imperishable, stainless, and of one undivided form—this is Your form, truly inconceivable. Apart from That, no reality whatsoever is found to shine as the truth.

Word by Word

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता; relative subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative pronoun), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here correlating with तत्

• अन्तरा: without/apart from
• अन्तरा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Exclusion)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (preposition/adverb), 'within/without/except'; here 'without (apart from)'

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता; apposition to सर्वम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विभाति: shines/appears
• विभाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; वि-उपसर्ग

• यत्: that which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता; relative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; relative to तत्

• अव्ययम्: imperishable
• अव्ययम्: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय/descriptor)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• निर्मलम्: pure
• निर्मलम्: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निर्मल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• एकरूपम्: of one form
• एकरूपम्: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: एकं रूपं यस्य/यत्

• किम्: something/anything
• किम्: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (interrogative used as indefinite with अपि), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अपि: even/indeed (here: some-)
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; here forming indefinite 'kim api'

• अचिन्त्यम्: inconceivable
• अचिन्त्यम्: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अचिन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• तव: your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• रूपम्: form
• रूपम्: Karta (कर्ता; subject of implied 'is')
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Pradhana-predicative (विधेय; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता; correlative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (correlative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अन्तरा: without
• अन्तरा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Exclusion)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तरा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; here 'without'

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (relative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रतिभाति: appears/manifests
• प्रतिभाति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; प्रति-उपसर्ग

• तत्त्वम्: reality/principle
• तत्त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता; subject of प्रतिभाति)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara (Supreme Lord)
• Tattva (Ultimate Reality)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme as the imperishable, stainless, one-form Reality in which the entire world appears; apart from that consciousness-like ground, no independent “truth” can shine.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports nididhyāsana-style contemplation: meditate on the Lord as the one, pure, imperishable substratum in which all appearances arise—an inner focus aligned with Ishvara Gita instruction and compatible with Pashupata-oriented devotion and jñāna.

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

By stressing a single, inconceivable, non-dual Reality as the ground of all manifestation, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis where sectarian names (Shiva/Vishnu/Ishvara) point to the same ultimate tattva.