Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 193

Devī-tattva, Śakti–Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla–Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction

Devanagari script

विद्याधरप्रिया सिद्धा विद्याधरनिराकृतिः / आप्यायनी हरन्ती च पावनी पोषणी खिला

Transliteration

vidyādharapriyā siddhā vidyādharanirākṛtiḥ / āpyāyanī harantī ca pāvanī poṣaṇī khilā

Translation

Aimée des Vidyādharas, elle est elle-même la Siddhā, l’Accomplie; et elle dissipe les fautes des Vidyādharas. Elle nourrit et fait prospérer tous les êtres, et emporte aussi péché et souffrance. Elle est la Purificatrice, la Soutenante, la Totalité qui pénètre tout.

Word by Word

• विद्याधर-प्रिया: dear to the Vidyādharas
• विद्याधर-प्रिया: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विद्याधर (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘विद्याधराणां प्रिया’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• सिद्धा: perfected; accomplished
• सिद्धा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from √सिध्)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘accomplished/perfected’ (as adjective)

• विद्याधर-निराकृतिः: repeller/banisher of the Vidyādharas
• विद्याधर-निराकृतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्याधर (प्रातिपदिक) + निराकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निराकृतिः = ‘removal/repulsion’; ‘विद्याधराणां निराकृतिः’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः

• आप्यायनी: nourishing; causing increase
• आप्यायनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आप्यायनिन् (प्रातिपदिक; from √प्यै/√प्या ‘to swell, nourish’ with ā-)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘nourishing/causing growth’

• हरन्ती: removing; taking away
• हरन्ती: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—agentive epithet)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हृ (धातु) (हरत्-शतृ कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘हरति’—taking away/removing

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• पावनी: purifying
• पावनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पावनिन् (प्रातिपदिक; from √पू ‘to purify’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘purifying’

• पोषणी: nourisher
• पोषणी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पोषणिन् (प्रातिपदिक; from √पुष् ‘to nourish’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘nourishing’

• खिला: whole; unimpaired
• खिला: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: खिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘unbroken/whole; also ‘uncultivated’—contextually ‘unimpaired/entire’ as epithet

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching within the Ishvara Gita framework

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devi (Supreme Goddess/Shakti)
• Vidyadharas
• Ishvara (as Shiva-Vishnu synthesis through Shakti)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By portraying the Goddess as both purifying and all-encompassing (“khilā”), the verse points to the Supreme Reality as complete and pervasive—removing ignorance/affliction while sustaining all beings, which aligns with the Ishvara Gita’s non-dual vision of one supreme principle manifesting as grace and power.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes inner purification (pāvanī) and removal of obstacles (harantī, nirākṛtiḥ), which correspond to Pashupata-oriented discipline: cleansing of mind and conduct, steady devotion, and meditative dependence on Ishvara/Shakti as the force that both perfects (siddhā) and nourishes (āpyāyanī, poṣaṇī) the practitioner.

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

Within the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, Shakti functions as the unifying power of Ishvara—so the purifying, sustaining Goddess is not sectarian but the shared divine potency through which Shiva and Vishnu are understood as one supreme reality in different theological expressions.