Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 147

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

वेदमुर्तिरहं विप्रा नान्यशास्त्रार्थवेदिभिः / ज्ञायते मत्स्वरूपं तु मुक्त्वा वेदं सनातनम्

Transliteration

vedamurtirahaṃ viprā nānyaśāstrārthavedibhiḥ / jñāyate matsvarūpaṃ tu muktvā vedaṃ sanātanam

Translation

Ô brahmanes, Je suis véritablement l’incarnation du Veda. Ma nature propre n’est pas connue de ceux qui ne saisissent que le sens d’autres traités ; elle n’est connue que par le Veda éternel, et non en l’abandonnant.

Word by Word

• वेदमूर्तिः: embodiment of the Veda
• वेदमूर्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद + मूर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वेदस्य मूर्तिः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Masculine, Nominative singular)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (1st person pronoun, nominative singular)

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Vocative plural)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• अन्य: other
• अन्य: Karana (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘वेदिभिः’ इति विशेषण (Masculine, Instrumental plural)

• शास्त्रार्थवेदिभिः: by knowers of the meanings of other śāstras
• शास्त्रार्थवेदिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र + अर्थ + वेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (शास्त्राणाम् अर्थं वेदन्ति ये), पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Instrumental plural)

• ज्ञायते: is known
• ज्ञायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (Present, passive, 3rd sg)

• मत्स्वरूपम्: my true form
• मत्स्वरूपम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठीसमर्थ) + स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (मम स्वरूपम्), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अत्र कर्मणि-प्रयोगे कर्तृस्थाने प्रथमा (Neuter, Nominative singular as subject of passive)

• तु: but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/अवधारण-अव्यय (but/indeed)

• मुक्त्वा: leaving aside
• मुक्त्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुच् (धातु) + क्त्वा (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘त्यक्त्वा’ इत्यर्थे (having left/without)

• वेदम्: the Veda
• वेदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (Accusative singular)

• सनातनम्: eternal
• सनातनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘वेदम्’ इति विशेषण (Masculine, Accusative singular)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Veda
• Vipras (Brahmins)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme (Ishvara) as “Veda-bodied,” implying that His svarūpa is accessed through Vedic revelation and its lived realization, not merely through secondary intellectual systems.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse prioritizes Veda-grounded sādhana—discipline aligned with śruti (including mantra, dhyāna, and yogic practice as framed by Vedic authority), rather than relying on non-Vedic or merely speculative approaches.

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

By grounding God-realization in the eternal Veda (a shared śruti foundation), it supports the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where Shaiva and Vaishnava yogic-theistic paths converge under Vedic pramāṇa.