Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 19

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

Devanagari script

विभाति विश्वामरभूतभर्ता स माधवः स्त्रीगणमध्यविष्टः / अशेषशक्त्यासनसंनिविष्टो यथैकशक्त्या सह देवदेवः

Transliteration

vibhāti viśvāmarabhūtabhartā sa mādhavaḥ strīgaṇamadhyaviṣṭaḥ / aśeṣaśaktyāsanasaṃniviṣṭo yathaikaśaktyā saha devadevaḥ

Translation

マーダヴァ—全世界と諸天と一切の生類を支える御方—は、シャクティの群れのただ中に坐して燦然と輝く。無尽の力の玉座に安住し、ただ一なる至上のシャクティと共に在す神々の神のごとくである。

Word by Word

• विभाति: shines, appears
• विभाति: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + भा (धातु)
• Form: लट्, परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• विश्व-अमर-भूत-भर्ता: supporter of the world, gods, and beings
• विश्व-अमर-भूत-भर्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व (प्रातिपदिक) + अमर (प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + भर्तृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (determinative chain)

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• माधवः: Mādhava (Viṣṇu)
• माधवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माधव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• स्त्री-गण-मध्य-विष्टः: seated/placed in the midst of the women
• स्त्री-गण-मध्य-विष्टः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + गण (प्रातिपदिक) + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; √विश्)
• Form: क्त (PPP) 'विष्ट' = प्रविष्ट/स्थित; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (in the midst of the women-group)

• अशेष-शक्ति-आसन-संनिविष्टः: seated upon the seat of all powers
• अशेष-शक्ति-आसन-संनिविष्टः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + आसन (प्रातिपदिक) + संनिविष्ट (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक; सम्+नि+√विश्)
• Form: क्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (seated on the seat of all powers)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्यसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/प्रकारार्थक (as/just as)

• एक-शक्त्या: with one power
• एक-शक्त्या: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (single power)

• सह: together with
• सह: Sahārtha (सहार्थ/सहकारक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सह (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; सहार्थक (with)

• देव-देवः: god of gods
• देव-देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (देवानां देवः)

Speaker

Narratorial voice within the Kurma Purana’s devotional-theological description (stuti-style passage)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Mādhava (Vishnu)
• Śakti (Divine Power)
• Deva-deva (God of gods)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It depicts the Supreme as the universal sustainer whose sovereignty expresses itself through śakti—power is not separate from the Lord but the mode by which the One appears as many while remaining the same divine reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports a śakti-informed contemplation: meditate on the Lord as seated in the heart-throne (āsana) of all powers—an aid to ekāgratā (one-pointedness) and īśvara-dhyāna central to Purāṇic Yoga and Pāśupata-oriented devotion.

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

By using the title deva-deva alongside Mādhava and emphasizing the inseparability of the Lord and Śakti, it echoes the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva idioms converge on one supreme Īśvara.