Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 178

Devanagari script

विसङ्गा भेदरहिता मनोज्ञा मधुसूदनी / महाश्रीः श्रीसमुत्पत्तिस्तमः पारे प्रतिष्ठिता

Transliteration

visaṅgā bhedarahitā manojñā madhusūdanī / mahāśrīḥ śrīsamutpattistamaḥ pāre pratiṣṭhitā

Translation

Ella es desapegada e inmaculada, libre de toda división; encantadora y la que da muerte a Madhu. Ella es la Gran Esplendidez—la fuente misma de donde surge la auspiciosa Śrī—establecida más allá de la oscuridad de la ignorancia.

Word by Word

• विसङ्गा: detached; without attachment
• विसङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि + सङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गपूर्वक-प्रातिपदिक (वि-सङ्ग = attachmentless)

• भेदरहिता: devoid of distinctions
• भेदरहिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भेद + रहित (कृदन्त; √हा त्यागे/रहित as adjectival)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (भेदेन रहिता = free from difference)

• मनोज्ञा: pleasing; delightful
• मनोज्ञा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मनोज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मधुसूदनी: slayer of Madhu (epithet)
• मधुसूदनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मधु + सूदनिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (मधुं सूदयति इति—slayer of Madhu; feminine form)

• महाश्रीः: great prosperity/glory
• महाश्रीः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महती श्रीः)

• श्रीसमुत्पत्तिः: origin of prosperity
• श्रीसमुत्पत्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री + समुत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (श्रियाः समुत्पत्तिः)

• तमः: darkness; tamas
• तमः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; अत्र अधिकरणसंबन्धे विषयत्वेन

• पारे: on the far shore; beyond
• पारे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन; अधिकरण (locative)

• प्रतिष्ठिता: established; firmly set
• प्रतिष्ठिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रति + √स्था (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; भूतकृदन्त (क्त) ‘स्थिता/प्रतिष्ठिता’ = established

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Mahāśrī
• Śrī (Lakṣmī)
• Madhusūdana (Vishnu epithet)
• Tamas (darkness/ignorance)

More Details (5 sections)

FAQs

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

By describing the supreme principle as “bhedarahitā” (without division) and “tamaḥ pāre pratiṣṭhitā” (established beyond darkness), the verse points to a non-dual, ignorance-transcending reality—characteristic of the Atman/Brahman beyond limiting distinctions.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Yogic contemplation on the non-attached, non-dual reality: meditation that moves beyond tamas (ignorance) toward clarity (sattva) and direct insight—aligning with Ishvara Gita-style devotion and knowledge that culminate in absorption in the supreme, taintless principle.

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

By presenting the supreme power as non-dual and beyond darkness while using Vaishnava-coded epithets (Madhusūdanī/Madhusūdana), the verse fits the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: the one supreme reality is praised through multiple sectarian vocabularies without contradiction.