Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 18

Īśvara-gītā: The Supreme Lord as Brahman, the Source of Creation, and the Inner Self

Devanagari script

एवं हि यो वेद गुहाशयं परं प्रभुं पुराणं पुरुषं विश्वरूपम् / हिरण्मयं बुद्धिमतां परां गतिं स बुद्धिमान् बुद्धिमतीत्य तिष्ठति

Transliteration

evaṃ hi yo veda guhāśayaṃ paraṃ prabhuṃ purāṇaṃ puruṣaṃ viśvarūpam / hiraṇmayaṃ buddhimatāṃ parāṃ gatiṃ sa buddhimān buddhimatītya tiṣṭhati

Translation

Thus, whoever truly knows the Supreme Lord abiding in the heart’s secret cave—the ancient Sovereign Puruṣa of universal form, radiant as gold and the highest goal of the wise—such a one becomes truly intelligent and, having attained perfect understanding, stands established in that realization.

Word by Word

• evam: thus
• evam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb): ‘thus, in this way’

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) हेत्वर्थ/निश्चय (indeed/for)

• yaḥ: who (he who)
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक-सर्वनाम (relative)

• veda: knows
• veda: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vid (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• guhā-śayam: the indweller in the cave (heart)
• guhā-śayam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guhā (प्रातिपदिक) + śaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘गुहायां शयः/शयम्’ (dwelling in the cave/heart)

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘prabhum/puruṣam’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• prabhum: Lord
• prabhum: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• purāṇam: ancient
• purāṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• puruṣam: Person, Spirit
• puruṣam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• viśva-rūpam: of universal form
• viśva-rūpam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (कर्मधारय-प्रायः): ‘विश्वं रूपं यस्य’

• hiraṇmayam: golden, radiant
• hiraṇmayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hiraṇmaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• buddhimatām: of the wise
• buddhimatām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: buddhimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘of the intelligent’

• parām: supreme
• parām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘gatim’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• gatim: goal, path, attainment
• gatim: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gati (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• buddhimān: intelligent, wise
• buddhimān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: buddhimat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• buddhimatītya: having attained/going beyond (the state of) wisdom
• buddhimatītya: Pūrvakāla (पूर्वकाल/Absolutive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: buddhimat (प्रातिपदिक) + √i (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund) ‘-ītya’ from √i with preform; अव्ययभाव: ‘having gone beyond/attained’ + ‘buddhimat’ as object in compound-like usage

• tiṣṭhati: stands, abides
• tiṣṭhati: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sthā (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Supreme Lord (Prabhu)
• Purusha (Supreme Person)
• Guhashaya (Indweller in the heart)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as the inner Indweller (guhāśaya) who is also the cosmic Person (puruṣa, viśvarūpa): transcendent yet present within the heart, known by direct realization rather than mere intellect.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to inward contemplation on the Lord in the “heart-cave,” aligning with meditative absorption (dhyāna/samādhi) central to the Kurma Purana’s Pashupata-oriented discipline: turning awareness inward to realize the luminous, all-pervading Ishvara.

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

By teaching one supreme, all-pervading Lord as the inner Self and universal form, the Ishvara Gita supports a non-sectarian synthesis: the same ultimate Ishvara is praised across Shaiva and Vaishnava idioms as the single highest reality.