Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 14

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

Devanagari script

यो ऽपि नारायणो ऽनन्तो लोकानां प्रभवाव्ययः / ममैव परमा मूर्तिः करोति परिपालनम्

Transliteration

yo 'pi nārāyaṇo 'nanto lokānāṃ prabhavāvyayaḥ / mamaiva paramā mūrtiḥ karoti paripālanam

Translation

ແມ່ນແຕ່ ນາຣາຍະນະ ອະນັນຕະ ຜູ້ເປັນແຫຼ່ງກໍ່ເກີດອັນບໍ່ເສື່ອມສະລາຍຂອງໂລກທັງປວງ ກໍແທ້ຈິງແມ່ນປາກົດການສູງສຸດຂອງເຮົາເອງ ແລະພຣະອົງນັ້ນເປັນຜູ້ຄຸ້ມຄອງອຸປະຖຳສັບພະສິ່ງສ້າງ।

Word by Word

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/Prathamā (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), additive/concessive sense

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular

• anantaḥ: endless
• anantaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; adjective qualifying nārāyaṇaḥ

• lokānām: of the worlds
• lokānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive/Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी) plural (बहुवचन)

• prabhavaḥ: origin/source
• prabhavaḥ: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; in compound with avyayaḥ

• avyayaḥ: imperishable
• avyayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; karmadhāraya with prabhavaḥ = prabhavaḥ ca avyayaḥ ca (origin and imperishable)

• mama: of me/my
• mama: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive/Ṣaṣṭhī singular; pronoun

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

• paramā: supreme
• paramā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative singular; qualifies mūrtiḥ

• mūrtiḥ: form/manifestation
• mūrtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative singular

• karoti: does/performs
• karoti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present tense/Laṭ (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) singular

• paripālanam: protection/maintenance
• paripālanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paripālana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative/Dvitīyā (द्वितीया) singular

Speaker

Lord Ishvara (as taught in the Ishvara Gita within the Kurma Purana dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Ananta

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as one Reality expressing itself through a “supreme manifestation” (paramā mūrtiḥ), indicating a single Lord who can appear as Nārāyaṇa to sustain the cosmos while remaining the imperishable source.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse emphasizes contemplative theism: meditation on the one Ishvara who manifests as Nārāyaṇa/Ananta for world-sustenance—supporting Ishvara-upāsanā that, in the Ishvara Gita context, aligns with disciplined devotion and inner steadiness taught alongside Pāśupata-oriented virtues.

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

It expresses a synthesis: Nārāyaṇa is affirmed as the supreme manifestation of the same ultimate Lord speaking here, supporting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian Shaiva–Vaishnava unity where preservation is performed through a single divine reality.