Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

Madhu–Kaiṭabha, Nārāyaṇa’s Yoga-Nidrā, Rudra’s Manifestation, and the Aṣṭamūrti–Trimūrti Teaching

Devanagari script

आत्मन्याध्य चात्मानमैश्वरं भावमास्थितः / पीत्वा तदक्षरं ब्रह्म शाश्वतं परमामृतम्

Transliteration

ātmanyādhya cātmānamaiśvaraṃ bhāvamāsthitaḥ / pītvā tadakṣaraṃ brahma śāśvataṃ paramāmṛtam

Translation

ആത്മത്തിനുള്ളിൽ ആത്മാവിനെ ധ്യാനിച്ച്, ഐശ്വര്യഭാവത്തിൽ സ്ഥാപിതനായി, അവൻ ആ അക്ഷരബ്രഹ്മത്തെ പാനം ചെയ്യുന്നു—ശാശ്വതവും പരമാമൃതവും ആയതു.

Word by Word

• आत्मनि: in the self
• आत्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• आध्य: having fixed/placed
• आध्य: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+धा (धातु) + य (ल्यप्/य-प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय (gerund-like); अर्थः—‘आधाय/निधाय’ = having placed/fixed

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• आत्मानम्: the self
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ऐश्वरम्: lordly/divine
• ऐश्वरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘भावम्’ प्रति

• भावम्: state/nature
• भावम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आस्थितः: has assumed/abided in
• आस्थितः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predication)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ+स्था (धातु) + त (क्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि—‘(he) has assumed/abided in’

• पीत्वा: having drunk
• पीत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Anterior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु) + क्त्वा
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययभाव (absolutive); ‘having drunk’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘ब्रह्म’ प्रति

• अक्षरम्: imperishable
• अक्षरम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘ब्रह्म’ प्रति

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

• शाश्वतम्: eternal
• शाश्वतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाश्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘ब्रह्म’ प्रति

• परमामृतम्: supreme nectar (immortality)
• परमामृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम+अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारयः (‘परमम् अमृतम्’); विशेषणं ‘ब्रह्म’ प्रति

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching the Ishvara Gita

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Ishvara
• Brahman
• Akshara
• Amrita

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It teaches inward absorption: by contemplating the Self in the Self and stabilizing in an aiśvara (Īśvara-aligned) state, the seeker realizes the Akṣara Brahman—experienced as eternal, deathless reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to dhyāna and samādhi-like interiorization—placing awareness in the Atman, abiding steadily in the lordly consciousness (aiśvara-bhāva), and ‘drinking’ Brahman as direct realization rather than conceptual knowledge.

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

By emphasizing aiśvara-bhāva and Akṣara Brahman, it frames the Supreme as one non-dual reality accessible through īśvara-oriented yoga—consistent with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis where the Lord is one, though praised by different names.