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Shloka 19

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

श्रीकूर्म उवाच पुरा पितामहेनोक्तं मेरुपृष्ठे सुशोभनम् / रहस्यमेतद् विज्ञानं गोपनीयं विशेषतः

śrīkūrma uvāca purā pitāmahenoktaṃ merupṛṣṭhe suśobhanam / rahasyametad vijñānaṃ gopanīyaṃ viśeṣataḥ

ശ്രീകൂർമൻ അരുളിച്ചെയ്തു—പുരാതനകാലത്ത് പിതാമഹൻ ബ്രഹ്മാവ് മേരുവിന്റെ മനോഹരമായ പൃഷ്ഠഭാഗത്ത് ഈ രഹസ്യവിജ്ഞാനം ഉപദേശിച്ചു; ഇത് പ്രത്യേകമായി ഗോപ്യമായി സംരക്ഷിക്കേണ്ടതാണ്।

श्रीकूर्मःŚrī-Kūrma
श्रीकूर्मः:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootश्री-कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; ‘श्रीमान् कूर्मः’ (कर्मधारय/उपपद-विशेषण)
उवाचsaid
उवाच:
Kriya (क्रिया/Verbal action)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद
पुराformerly
पुरा:
Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootपुरा (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक अव्यय (formerly)
पितामहेनby the Grandfather (Brahmā)
पितामहेन:
Kartr̥ (कर्ता/Agent in passive)
TypeNoun
Rootपितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन
उक्तम्said
उक्तम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formक्त (Past Passive Participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘said’
मेरुपृष्ठेon the back/slope of Meru
मेरुपृष्ठे:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
TypeNoun
Rootमेरु-पृष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक; समास)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; ‘मेरोः पृष्ठम्’ (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)
सुशोभनम्very splendid
सुशोभनम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootसु-शोभन (प्रातिपदिक; उपसर्गपूर्वक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (रहस्यम्/विज्ञानम्)
रहस्यम्secret (teaching)
रहस्यम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootरहस्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
एतत्this
एतत्:
Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootएतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (विज्ञानम्/रहस्यम्)
विज्ञानम्knowledge, realization
विज्ञानम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootविज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
गोपनीयम्to be concealed
गोपनीयम्:
Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootगुप् (धातु)
Formअनीयर्/यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘to be kept secret’
विशेषतःespecially
विशेषतः:
Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootविशेषतः (अव्यय)
Formप्रकार/विशेषणार्थक अव्यय (especially)

Lord Kurma (Vishnu)

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

K
Kurma
B
Brahma (Pitamaha)
M
Mount Meru

FAQs

It frames the teaching as “vijñāna”—realized, higher knowledge—implying that the doctrine concerns direct spiritual realization (not mere theory) and is therefore treated as a guarded inner instruction.

This verse does not list techniques, but it signals an esoteric Yogic transmission—knowledge meant for qualified seekers—consistent with the Ishvara Gita’s orientation toward disciplined practice (yoga-sādhana) and initiatory secrecy often associated with Pāśupata-style instruction.

By presenting Lord Kūrma as the revealer of a Brahmā-transmitted rahasya, it supports the Purāṇic non-sectarian model where supreme knowledge circulates through shared divine lineages—compatible with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis rather than exclusivist rivalry.