Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 5

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

Devanagari script

अहं धाता जगद्योनिः स्वयंभूरेक ईश्वरः / अनादिमत्परं ब्रह्म मामभ्यर्च्य विमुच्यते

Transliteration

ahaṃ dhātā jagadyoniḥ svayaṃbhūreka īśvaraḥ / anādimatparaṃ brahma māmabhyarcya vimucyate

Translation

ខ្ញុំជាព្រះធាតា អ្នកគាំទ្រពិភពលោក ជាមាត្រភពនៃសកលលោក ជាព្រះស្វ័យកើត—ព្រះអម្ចាស់តែមួយ។ ខ្ញុំជាព្រហ្មអនាទិ និងអធិព្រហ្មដ៏លើសលប់; អ្នកណាបូជាខ្ញុំ នឹងបានរួចផុត។

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (singular), प्रथमा (1st case, nominative)

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

• जगत्-योनिः: source/womb of the world
• जगत्-योनिः: प्रथमा-सम्बन्ध (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive tatpuruṣa: जगतः योनिः), स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• स्वयम्-भूः: self-born
• स्वयम्-भूः: प्रथमा-सम्बन्ध (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय) + भू (धातु) → भू (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (descriptive: स्वयमेव भूः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एकः: one/sole
• एकः: विशेषण (Qualifier of īśvaraḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (adjective)

• ईश्वरः: Lord
• ईश्वरः: प्रथमा-सम्बन्ध (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अनादि-मत्-परम्: the supreme, beginningless
• अनादि-मत्-परम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि (प्रातिपदिक) + मत् (तद्धित-प्रत्यय, possessive) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (determinative; ‘having beginningless as supreme/ultimate’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (nom./acc.), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies brahma)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• माम्: me
• माम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, द्वितीया (accusative)

• अभ्यर्च्य: having worshipped
• अभ्यर्च्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action to main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + अर्च् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव (indeclinable verbal), ‘having worshipped’

• विमुच्यते: is liberated/is released
• विमुच्यते: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu as Ishvara) teaching in the Ishvara-gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara
• Brahman
• Jagat (Universe)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme as both Īśvara (the one ruling Lord) and Para-Brahman (the beginningless Absolute), implying that the ultimate Self is the transcendent ground of the cosmos and the inner reality realized through liberation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds īśvara-bhakti (focused worship/adoration of the Supreme Lord) as a direct liberating means; in the Ishvara-gita frame this aligns with disciplined devotion and contemplation where worship becomes a yogic upāya leading to mokṣa.

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

By presenting the one Īśvara as Para-Brahman and the cosmic source, it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic stance: sectarian forms may differ, but the liberating Lord is ultimately one, approachable through unified Shaiva–Vaishnava theology.