Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

सैषा सर्वेश्वरी देवी सर्वभूतप्रवर्तिका / प्रोच्यते भगवान् कालो हरिः प्राणो महेश्वरः

Transliteration

saiṣā sarveśvarī devī sarvabhūtapravartikā / procyate bhagavān kālo hariḥ prāṇo maheśvaraḥ

Translation

Elle est, en vérité, la Déesse souveraine de tout, l’Impulsion de tous les êtres. Elle est aussi dite le Seigneur Bienheureux : le Temps (Kāla), Hari, le Souffle vital (Prāṇa) et Maheśvara.

Word by Word

• सा: she
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• एषा: this (very one)
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'सा एषा' = 'that very (she) here'

• सर्वेश्वरी: mistress of all
• सर्वेश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व-ईश्वरि/ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; 'सर्वेषाम् ईश्वरी'

• देवी: the Goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• सर्वभूतप्रवर्तिका: impeller/activator of all beings
• सर्वभूतप्रवर्तिका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-भूत-प्रवर्तिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (to 'devī'); 'सर्वेषां भूतानां प्रवर्तिका'

• प्रोच्यते: is proclaimed/called
• प्रोच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र-उच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समानाधिकरण (apposition to 'bhagavān')

• हरिः: Hari
• हरिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समानाधिकरण

• प्राणः: life-breath
• प्राणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समानाधिकरण

• महेश्वरः: Maheshvara (Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समानाधिकरण; 'महान् ईश्वरः'

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (Ishvara Gita discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devi
• Kala
• Hari (Vishnu)
• Prana
• Maheshvara (Shiva)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as a single reality expressed through multiple cosmic functions—Time (kāla), Life-breath (prāṇa), and the divine lords (Hari, Maheshvara)—implying one sovereign principle that animates and governs all beings.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Ishvara-centered meditation (īśvara-dhyāna) typical of the Kurma Purana’s Pashupata-oriented teaching: contemplate the one Supreme power as present in time, breath, and lordship, integrating prāṇa-awareness with devotion to the single Ishvara beyond sectarian division.

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

It explicitly places Hari (Vishnu) and Maheshvara (Shiva) as names of the same supreme divinity, framed through Devi as the all-impelling sovereign—an overt Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis with a non-dual theological thrust.