Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 12

Īśvara-gītā: Vibhūtis of the Supreme Lord and the Paśu–Paśupati Doctrine of Bondage and Release

Devanagari script

मृगेन्द्राणां च सिंहो ऽहं यन्त्राणां धनुरेव च / वेदानां सामवेदो ऽहं यजुषां शतरुद्रियम्

Transliteration

mṛgendrāṇāṃ ca siṃho 'haṃ yantrāṇāṃ dhanureva ca / vedānāṃ sāmavedo 'haṃ yajuṣāṃ śatarudriyam

Translation

獣の王たちの中では、我は獅子である。器具と武具の中では、我は弓である。ヴェーダの中では、我はサーマ・ヴェーダであり、ヤジュスの真言の中では、我はシャタルドリヤである。

Word by Word

• मृगेन्द्राणाम्: of the lords of beasts (lions among animals)
• मृगेन्द्राणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृगेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक) = मृग + इन्द्र
• Form: षष्ठीविभक्ति (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine); सम्बन्ध (genitive relation)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• सिंहः: lion
• सिंहः: कर्तृ/प्राधान्य-निर्देश (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun)

• यन्त्राणाम्: of instruments/engines/weapons
• यन्त्राणाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यन्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• धनुः: bow
• धनुः: कर्तृ/प्राधान्य-निर्देश (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: अवधारण (emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis/only/indeed)

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वेदानाम्: of the Vedas
• वेदानाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• सामवेदः: the Sāma Veda
• सामवेदः: कर्तृ/प्राधान्य-निर्देश (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामवेद (प्रातिपदिक) = सामन् + वेद
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); पुल्लिङ्ग (Masculine)

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम (1st person pronoun)

• यजुषाम्: of the Yajus (Yajur-vedic formulas)
• यजुषाम्: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• शतरुद्रियम्: the Śatarudriya (hymn/section)
• शतरुद्रियम्: कर्तृ/प्राधान्य-निर्देश (predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शतरुद्रिय (प्रातिपदिक) = शत + रुद्रिय
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/प्रथमा or 2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter); here as predicate nominative with implied 'अहम्'

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu as the Supreme Ishvara, presenting vibhūti-identifications in a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Rudra (via Śatarudriya)
• Sāmaveda
• Yajurveda

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By declaring “I am” the highest exemplar in each domain (lion among beasts, Sāmaveda among Vedas), the verse teaches that the Supreme Ishvara/Atman is the inner essence and excellence (sāra) present as the governing reality behind all hierarchies.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports vibhūti-based contemplation: the practitioner steadies the mind by meditating on Ishvara as the supreme presence in powerful symbols (the lion’s sovereignty, the bow’s focused force) and in Vedic mantra (Sāman chant, Śatarudriya), aligning devotion (bhakti) with mantra-japa and one-pointed awareness.

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

By identifying Himself with the Śatarudriya—classically centered on Rudra—the speaker (Kurma/Vishnu) affirms a non-sectarian unity where Rudra’s mantra-glory and Vishnu’s supreme lordship are harmonized as one Ishvara in the Kurma Purana’s synthesis.