Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 145

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

Devanagari script

सर्ववित् सर्वतोभद्रा गुह्यातीता गुहारणिः / प्रक्रिया योगमाता च गङ्गा विश्वेश्वरेश्वरी

Transliteration

sarvavit sarvatobhadrā guhyātītā guhāraṇiḥ / prakriyā yogamātā ca gaṅgā viśveśvareśvarī

Translation

അവൾ സർവ്വവിത്, സർവ്വതോഭദ്ര; അവൾ ഗുഹ്യത്തെയും അതിക്രമിച്ച്, അന്തർഗുഹാരഹസ്യം ജ്വലിപ്പിക്കുന്ന അരണി. അവൾ പ്രക്രിയ, യോഗമാതാ; അവൾ തന്നെയാണ് ഗംഗയും വിശ്വേശ്വരേശ്വരിയും.

Word by Word

• सर्ववित्: all-knowing
• सर्ववित्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-वित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वं वेत्ति इति) ‘वित्’ = √विद् (धातु) क्विप्-प्रत्ययान्त-प्रातिपदिक

• सर्वतः: from all sides
• सर्वतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; दिग्वाचक-अव्यय

• भद्रा: auspicious, благоприятная
• भद्रा: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• गुह्यातीता: beyond the secret/mystery
• गुह्यातीता: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गुह्य-अतीत (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘अतीत’ = √इ (धातु) क्त-प्रत्यय; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (गुह्यं अतीता)

• गुहारणिः: the fire-stick/source of the cave (mystic depth)
• गुहारणिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा-अरणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (गुहायाः अरणिः)

• प्रक्रिया: procedure, method
• प्रक्रिया: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रक्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• योगमाता: mother of yoga
• योगमाता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योग-माता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (योगस्य माता)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय-बोधक (conjunction)

• गङ्गा: Gaṅgā
• गङ्गा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गङ्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विश्वेश्वरेश्वरी: Goddess who is the sovereign of the Lord of the universe
• विश्वेश्वरेश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्व-ईश्वर-ईश्वरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (विश्वस्य ईश्वरः; तस्य ईश्वरी)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Devi (Ishvari/Shakti)
• Ganga
• Vishveshvara (Lord of the Universe)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By presenting the Supreme as all-knowing and as the inner “arani” that ignites realization in the cave of the heart, the verse points to inner awakening (Atman-realization) as empowered by the Supreme Shakti, beyond merely secret doctrines.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes prakriyā—an ordered sadhana-method—calling the Goddess the “Mother of Yoga,” implying disciplined yogic procedure (inner purification, concentration, and awakening of insight) rather than reliance on hidden or purely esoteric claims.

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

By invoking Viśveśvara (a Shaiva title) together with the Ishvara Gita teaching voice of Lord Kurma (a Vaishnava form), it frames a non-sectarian synthesis: the one Supreme Lord and His Shakti are honored through both Shaiva and Vaishnava idioms.