Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 18

Īśvara-gītā: Antaryāmin, Kāla, and the Divine Ordinance Governing Creation, Preservation, and Pralaya

Devanagari script

यो ऽपि सर्वाम्भसां योनिर्वरुणो देवपुङ्गवः / सो ऽपि संजीवयेत् कृत्स्नमीशस्यैव नियोगतः

Transliteration

yo 'pi sarvāmbhasāṃ yonirvaruṇo devapuṅgavaḥ / so 'pi saṃjīvayet kṛtsnamīśasyaiva niyogataḥ

Translation

たとえヴァルナ――神々の中の高貴なる長、あらゆる水の源――であっても、全世界を蘇らせ得るのは、ただ至上主イーシャ（Īśa）の御命令によってのみである。

Word by Word

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; relative pronoun

• api: also
• api: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• sarvāmbhasām: of all waters
• sarvāmbhasām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + ambhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive plural; tatpuruṣa = sarvāṇi ambhāṃsi (all waters)

• yoniḥ: source/womb
• yoniḥ: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative singular

• varuṇaḥ: Varuṇa
• varuṇaḥ: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varuṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular

• devapuṅgavaḥ: chief among the gods
• devapuṅgavaḥ: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva + puṅgava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; tatpuruṣa = devānāṃ puṅgavaḥ (bull/foremost among gods)

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; demonstrative pronoun

• api: also
• api: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• saṃjīvayet: would revive/should enliven
• saṃjīvayet: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-jīv (धातु)
• Form: Optative/Viḍhi-liṅ (विधिलिङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person singular

• kṛtsnam: entire/whole
• kṛtsnam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of Karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kṛtsna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative singular; qualifies (implicit) jagat/viśvam or object understood

• īśasya: of the Lord
• īśasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• niyogataḥ: by command/commission
• niyogataḥ: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: niyoga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ablative-form adverb (पञ्चमी-प्रयोगे अव्ययीभाववत्), singular

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (cosmic hierarchy and dependence on Īśa)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Varuṇa
• Īśa (Supreme Lord)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents Īśa as the supreme, independent controller: even the greatest deities function only through His sanction, implying ultimate sovereignty beyond all limited powers.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Īśvara-prāṇidhāna (devotional surrender to the Lord’s will): spiritual progress and siddhis are framed as secondary to alignment with the Supreme command.

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

By using the title Īśa for the Supreme who governs all devas, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where the highest Lord (understood as Shiva or Vishnu in different registers) is the single source of authority.