Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 79

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

Devanagari script

काष्ठा सर्वान्तरस्था च चिच्छक्तिरतिलालसा / नन्दा सर्वात्मिका विद्या ज्योतीरूपामृताक्षरा

Transliteration

kāṣṭhā sarvāntarasthā ca cicchaktiratilālasā / nandā sarvātmikā vidyā jyotīrūpāmṛtākṣarā

Translation

അവൾ കാഷ്ഠാ—എല്ലാവരുടെയും അന്തരത്തിൽ അധിവസിക്കുന്നു. അവൾ ചിച്ഛക്തി—പ്രകടിക്കുവാൻ അത്യന്തം ഉത്സുക. അവൾ നന്ദാ—സർവ്വാത്മിക വിദ്യ; ജ്യോതിരൂപിണി, അമൃതാക്ഷരമയി.

Word by Word

• काष्ठा: the ultimate limit/point (kāṣṭhā)
• काष्ठा: कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काष्ठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• सर्वान्तरस्था: dwelling within all
• सर्वान्तरस्था: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + अन्तर + स्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषु अन्तरेषु स्थिता)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• चित्: consciousness
• चित्: विशेष्य-आधार (Base for compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चित् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग (दर्शन-परम्परानुसार), प्रातिपदिक; समासपूर्वपद

• शक्तिः: power
• शक्तिः: कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अति: exceedingly
• अति: विशेषण-प्रवर्धक (Intensifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय)
• Form: उपसर्ग/अव्यय (intensifier)

• लालसा: eager, yearning
• लालसा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लालसा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• नन्दा: Nandā
• नन्दा: कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नन्दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; देवी-विशेष

• सर्वात्मिका: whose nature is all
• सर्वात्मिका: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व + आत्मिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वस्य आत्मिका/whose essence is all)

• विद्या: knowledge, wisdom
• विद्या: कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ज्योतिः: light
• ज्योतिः: विशेष्य-आधार (Base for compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ज्योतिस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक; समासपूर्वपद (ज्योतिरूप-)

• रूपा: having the form (of)
• रूपा: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासान्त-विशेषण (रूपा = having form)

• अमृताक्षरा: immortal and imperishable
• अमृताक्षरा: कर्तृ-समानााधिकरण (Predicate nominative/समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अमृत + अक्षरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अमृता च सा अक्षरा च)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Ishvara Gita
• Shakti
• Cit-shakti
• Vidyā

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It portrays the supreme principle as the inner indweller of all (sarvāntarasthā) and as all-souled knowledge (sarvātmikā vidyā), indicating a non-dual Self that shines as consciousness and light.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Ishvara Gita meditation on the indwelling luminous consciousness (jyotīrūpā) and mantra-contemplation on imperishable sacred sound (amṛtākṣarā), aligning with Pashupata-oriented inner worship and jñāna-yoga.

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

By presenting a single supreme Consciousness-Power as the Self within all, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthetic stance: the highest reality honored as Ishvara can be approached through both Shaiva and Vaishnava frames without contradiction.