Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 32

Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

Devanagari script

तां तां शक्तिं समाधाय स्वयं देवो महेश्वरः / करोति देहान् विविधान् ग्रसते चैव लीलया

Transliteration

tāṃ tāṃ śaktiṃ samādhāya svayaṃ devo maheśvaraḥ / karoti dehān vividhān grasate caiva līlayā

Translation

この力、あの力を自ら帯びて、主たるマヘーシュヴァラは多様な身体を顕現させる。しかも同じく、ただリーラー—神の戯れ—として、それらを呑み込み退かせる。

Word by Word

• ताम्: that (each)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative) एकवचनम्; पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः (tāṃ tāṃ = each and every)

• ताम्: that (each)
• ताम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचनम्; पुनरुक्ति

• शक्तिम्: power/energy
• शक्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचनम्

• समाधाय: having assumed/taken up
• समाधाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+आ+√धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive): having placed/assumed

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb: oneself)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st) एकवचनम्

• महेश्वरः: Mahēśvara (the Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; महा+ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st) एकवचनम्; देवः इत्यस्य समानाधिकरणम्

• करोति: makes/creates
• करोति: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present) परस्मैपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd) एकवचनम्

• देहान्: bodies
• देहान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd) बहुवचनम्

• विविधान्: various
• विविधान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विविध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd) बहुवचनम्; देहान् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ग्रसते: devours/absorbs
• ग्रसते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ग्रस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present) आत्मनेपदम्; प्रथमपुरुषः (3rd) एकवचनम्

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• लीलया: by play/sport (effortlessly)
• लीलया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लीला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental) एकवचनम्

Speaker

Narrator/Teacher voice within the Purāṇic discourse (describing Mahēśvara/Īśvara as the agent of manifestation and dissolution)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maheshvara
• Shakti

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents Īśvara as the sovereign Self who freely assumes powers (śakti) to project embodied forms and then reabsorbs them—implying that manifestation and dissolution occur within the Lord’s own being, not outside Him.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports a contemplative stance central to Purāṇic yoga: meditating on Īśvara as the inner controller who takes up and withdraws forms through śakti. This steadies vairāgya (dispassion) by seeing the body-world as līlā and encourages devotion (bhakti) joined with discernment (viveka).

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

By centering Mahēśvara as the supreme agent while the Kurma Purana overall harmonizes sectarian views, it aligns with the text’s synthesis: the one Īśvara is praised through Śaiva names and functions, without denying the broader Vishnu-centered Purāṇic framework.