Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 155

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

Devanagari script

सत्क्रिया गिरिजा शुद्धा नित्यपुष्टा निरन्तरा / दुर्गाकात्यायनीचण्डी चर्चिका शान्तविग्रहा

Transliteration

satkriyā girijā śuddhā nityapuṣṭā nirantarā / durgākātyāyanīcaṇḍī carcikā śāntavigrahā

Translation

അവൾ സത്ക്രിയ തന്നെ, ഗിരിജ, ശുദ്ധ; നിത്യപോഷിണിയും നിരന്തരശക്തിയും. അവൾ ദുർഗ്ഗ, കാത്യായനി, ചണ്ഡി, ചർച്ചികാ—ശാന്തവും ശുഭവും ആയ വിഗ്രഹമുള്ളവൾ.

Word by Word

• सत्-क्रिया: good conduct; righteous action
• सत्-क्रिया: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + क्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (good/holy action; good conduct)

• गिरिजा: daughter of the mountain (Pārvatī)
• गिरिजा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गिरि (प्रातिपदिक) + जा (प्रातिपदिक; from √जन् ‘born’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गिरेः जा = daughter of the mountain)

• शुद्धा: pure
• शुद्धा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (pure)

• नित्य-पुष्टा: ever-flourishing
• नित्य-पुष्टा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक) + पुष्ट (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त-भाव; from √पुष् ‘to nourish’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (ever-nourished/ever-flourishing)

• निरन्तरा: uninterrupted
• निरन्तरा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निरन्तर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (continuous, uninterrupted)

• दुर्गा: Durgā
• दुर्गा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुर्गा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; देवी-नाम

• कात्यायनी: Kātyāyanī
• कात्यायनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कात्यायनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; देवी-नाम

• चण्डी: Caṇḍī
• चण्डी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चण्डी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; देवी-नाम

• चर्चिका: Carcikā
• चर्चिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चर्चिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; देवी-नाम

• शान्त-विग्रहा: of peaceful form
• शान्त-विग्रहा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शान्त (प्रातिपदिक) + विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (having a peaceful form/body)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in the Ishvara Gita context, incorporating Devi-stuti within Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Girija (Parvati)
• Durga
• Katyayani
• Chandi
• Carcika

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By identifying the Goddess with sat-kriyā (right sacred action) and with both fierce and peaceful forms, the verse implies a single supreme power manifesting as all functions—purifying action, protection, and inner serenity—pointing to the one reality that appears as many modes.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports a Kurma Purana approach where disciplined sat-kriyā (pure conduct, mantra, worship, and regulated practice) becomes a continuous (nirantarā) sādhanā, culminating in śānta-vigrahā—inner stillness and a tranquil, concentrated mind.

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

Within the Ishvara Gita setting spoken by Lord Kurma (Vishnu), the praise of Girijā (Pārvatī/Śakti) integrates Shaiva devotion into a Vaishnava discourse, expressing the Purana’s non-sectarian unity: the one divine reality is honored through multiple deities and names.