Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 15

Īśvara-gītā (Adhyāya 2) — Ātma-svarūpa, Māyā, and the Unity of Sāṅkhya–Yoga

Devanagari script

वदन्ति वेदविद्वांसः साक्षिणं प्रकृतेः परम् / भोक्तारमक्षरं शुद्धं सर्वत्र समवस्थितम्

Transliteration

vadanti vedavidvāṃsaḥ sākṣiṇaṃ prakṛteḥ param / bhoktāramakṣaraṃ śuddhaṃ sarvatra samavasthitam

Translation

ヴェーダに通じた賢者たちは（アートマンを）プラクリティを超える至上の「証人」と説く――経験を受ける者、不滅にして清浄、あらゆる所に等しく遍在する。

Word by Word

• vadanti: they say
• vadanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vad (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• veda-vidvāṃsaḥ: knowers of the Veda
• veda-vidvāṃsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: veda + vidvas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद: ‘वेदं वेत्ति’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• sākṣiṇam: the witness
• sākṣiṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sākṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• prakṛteḥ: of nature (prakṛti)
• prakṛteḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

• param: supreme/beyond
• param: Karma-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण of sākṣiṇam

• bhoktāram: the experiencer/enjoyer
• bhoktāram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: √bhuj + tṛ (धातु + तृ, कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-नाम (enjoyer/experiencer), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समनाधिकरण with sākṣiṇam

• akṣaram: imperishable
• akṣaram: Karma-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + kṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-पूर्वक, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (imperishable)

• śuddham: pure
• śuddham: Karma-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuddha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• sarvatra: everywhere
• sarvatra: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sarvatra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक (adverb of place)

• samavasthitam: present/established (everywhere)
• samavasthitam: Karma-anvaya (कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ava-√sthā + kta (धातु + क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (context of Purva-bhāga philosophical teaching)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Prakriti
• Sakshi (Witness)
• Akshara (Imperishable)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It defines the Supreme Self as the sākṣin (inner Witness) who is beyond Prakṛti, untouched and pure, yet present in all beings as the imperishable conscious experiencer.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse implies sākṣī-bhāva (witness-attitude): meditation that disidentifies from Prakṛti’s changing states and rests awareness in the pure, imperishable observer—an essential orientation for Yoga and related Pāśupata-style inner discipline.

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

By centering on the one imperishable Witness beyond Prakṛti, it supports the Purāṇa’s non-sectarian synthesis: the same supreme consciousness is taught across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava idioms, pointing to one reality rather than rivalry.