Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23

Devī-tattva, Śakti–Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla–Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction

Devanagari script

अनन्या निष्कले तत्त्वे संस्थिता तस्य तेजसा / स्वाभाविकी च तन्मूला प्रभा भानोरिवामला

Transliteration

ananyā niṣkale tattve saṃsthitā tasya tejasā / svābhāvikī ca tanmūlā prabhā bhānorivāmalā

Translation

ಅವಳು ಅವನಿಂದ ಅನನ್ಯ; ಅವನ ತೇಜಸ್ಸಿನಿಂದ ನಿಷ್ಕಲ ತತ್ತ್ವದಲ್ಲಿ ಸ್ಥಿತಳಾಗಿದ್ದಾಳೆ. ಸ್ವಭಾವತಃ ಅವನದೇ, ಅವನಲ್ಲೇ ಮೂಲ ಹೊಂದಿದವಳು; ಅವಳು ಅಮಲ ಪ್ರಭೆ—ಸೂರ್ಯನ ಶುದ್ಧ ಬೆಳಕಿನಂತೆ।

Word by Word

• ananyā: non-different, without a second
• ananyā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• niṣkale: in the partless (state)
• niṣkale: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣkala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; विशेषण (तत्त्वे इति पदस्य)

• tattve: in the principle/reality
• tattve: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन

• saṃsthitā: abides; is established
• saṃsthitā: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-√sthā (धातु) + ta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त/PPP), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘स्थित’ = established/abiding

• tasya: of him/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• tejasā: by (his) splendor/power
• tejasā: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• svābhāvikī: natural, inherent
• svābhāvikī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svābhāvika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• tat-mūlā: having that as its root/source
• tat-mūlā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + mūla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/‘तस्य मूलम्’), विशेषण

• prabhā: radiance, light
• prabhā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• bhānoḥ: of the sun
• bhānoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhānu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• iva: like, as
• iva: Upamāna-marker (उपमान-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• amalā: stainless, pure
• amalā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (प्रभा)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (Ishvara Gita context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara (Supreme Lord)
• Prabha (divine radiance/Shakti)
• Bhanu (Sun)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as a “partless Reality” (niṣkala tattva) whose intrinsic radiance manifests as a stainless light—implying that the Lord’s essence and His luminous power are inseparable.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports niṣkala-dhyāna (meditation on the partless Absolute): the practitioner contemplates the Lord not as a divided form but as pure, stainless consciousness-light, with Shakti understood as His inherent brilliance.

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

By describing the Supreme in non-dual terms—one reality with inseparable power (Shakti)—it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis where sectarian boundaries soften: the one Ishvara (whether named Shiva or Vishnu) is understood as the same partless principle.