Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 9

Kapālamocana: The Cutting of Brahmā’s Fifth Head, Śiva’s Kāpālika Vow, and Purification in Vārāṇasī

Devanagari script

अहं धाता हि लोकानां यज्ञो नारायणः प्रभुः / न मामृते ऽस्य जगतो जीवनं सर्वदा क्वचित्

Transliteration

ahaṃ dhātā hi lokānāṃ yajño nārāyaṇaḥ prabhuḥ / na māmṛte 'sya jagato jīvanaṃ sarvadā kvacit

Translation

我はまことに諸世界の保持者。われはヤジュニャ、すなわち聖なる供犠そのもの。われはナーラーヤナ、至上の主である。我なくしてこの宇宙に生命はない——いかなる時も、いかなる所にも。

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, प्रथमा

• धाता: creator/sustainer
• धाता: प्रथमा-सम्बन्ध (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; बलार्थ (emphasis)

• लोकानाम्: of the worlds
• लोकानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचन

• यज्ञः: sacrifice (Yajña)
• यज्ञः: प्रथमा-सम्बन्ध (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नारायणः: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणः: प्रथमा-सम्बन्ध (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रभुः: Lord/master
• प्रभुः: प्रथमा-सम्बन्ध (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेध (Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध (negation particle)

• माम्: me
• माम्: अपादान (Apādāna with ṛte: ‘except me’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, द्वितीया

• ऋते: without/except
• ऋते: अपादान-सम्बन्ध (Exclusion/exceptive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: उपपद-अव्यय (prepositional indeclinable) governing पञ्चमी/द्वितीया in usage; अर्थः ‘विना/except’

• अस्य: of this
• अस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• जीवनम्: life/continued existence
• जीवनम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject of implied ‘is/exists’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जीवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• क्वचित्: ever/anywhere
• क्वचित्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: क्वचित् (अव्यय)
• Form: देश/कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: ‘anywhere/ever’)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu-Nārāyaṇa), teaching in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Yajna

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme as the single sustaining principle behind all worlds—so fundamental that apart from Him the cosmos has no “life” or operative vitality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Ishvara-centric meditation: contemplative absorption on the Lord as the inner life (prāṇa-like ground) and as Yajña—the sacred order—aligning one’s mind and actions as offerings (īśvara-arpana) in a Pāśupata-oriented discipline.

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

By presenting the Supreme as the all-sustaining Lord and the very principle of Yajña, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the one Ishvara is approached through different divine names and forms without compromising unity.