Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 200

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

Devanagari script

नित्योदिता स्वयञ्ज्योतिरुत्सुका मृतजीवनी / वज्रदण्डा वज्रजिह्वा वैदेवी वज्रविग्रहा

Transliteration

nityoditā svayañjyotirutsukā mṛtajīvanī / vajradaṇḍā vajrajihvā vaidevī vajravigrahā

Translation

ഹേ ദേവീ! നീ നിത്യോദിത, സദാ പ്രകട, സ്വയംജ്യോതി, രക്ഷയ്ക്കു ഉത്സുക, മരിച്ചവർക്കും ജീവൻ നൽകുന്നവൾ. നീ വജ്രദണ്ഡധാരിണി, വജ്രജിഹ്വ, വൈദേവി, വജ്രസമ ദൃഢവിഗ്രഹിണി.

Word by Word

• नित्योदिता: ever arisen; ever manifest
• नित्योदिता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य + उदिता (कृदन्त; √उद्/उद्-इ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—नित्यम् उदिता (ever risen/ever manifest)

• स्वयम्: by oneself; self-
• स्वयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Adverbial qualifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकार/स्वतन्त्र-क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: by oneself)

• ज्योतिः: light
• ज्योतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet component)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उत्सुका: eager
• उत्सुका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्सुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मृतजीवनी: reviver of the dead
• मृतजीवनी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृत + जीवनी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—मृतान् जीवयति इति (reviver of the dead)

• वज्रदण्डा: with a thunderbolt-staff
• वज्रदण्डा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र + दण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—वज्रवत् दण्डः यस्याः (having a thunderbolt-like staff)

• वज्रजिह्वा: thunderbolt-tongued
• वज्रजिह्वा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र + जिह्वा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—वज्रवद् जिह्वा (thunderbolt-like tongue)

• वैदेवी: Vaidevī
• वैदेवी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—name/epithet)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदेवी/वैदेवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; जनपद-सम्बन्धी विशेषनाम (Vaidevī)

• वज्रविग्रहा: thunderbolt-bodied
• वज्रविग्रहा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वज्र + विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः—वज्रवद् विग्रहः (thunderbolt-like form/body)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita section

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devi (Shakti)
• Vajra (thunderbolt symbol)
• Ishvara (Supreme Lord)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling the Divine Power “self-luminous” and “ever-manifest,” the verse points to reality as not dependent on external illumination—an Atman/Brahman-like principle that shines by itself and sustains life even beyond death.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Pashupata-style contemplation on the deity’s attributes—self-luminosity (svayañjyotiḥ) for inner absorption, and vajra-like speech/tongue as the power of mantra-japa and truth-speaking that cuts through ignorance.

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

In the Ishvara Gita’s syncretic frame, Vishnu (as Kurma) praises the same supreme Shakti/Ishvara-tattva revered in Shaiva traditions, implying one non-dual divine reality approached through both Vaishnava and Shaiva vocabularies.