Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

Cosmic Realms Above Dhruva, the Pātālas Below, and the Foundation of Pralaya

Ananta–Kāla

Devanagari script

यो ऽनन्तः पठ्येते देवो नागरूपी जनार्दनः / तदाधारमिदं सर्वं स कालाग्निमपाश्रितः

Transliteration

yo 'nantaḥ paṭhyete devo nāgarūpī janārdanaḥ / tadādhāramidaṃ sarvaṃ sa kālāgnimapāśritaḥ

Translation

‘അനന്തൻ’ എന്നു പാരായണം ചെയ്യപ്പെടുന്ന ദേവൻ—നാഗരൂപനായ ജനാർദനൻ—അവനിലാണ് ഈ സർവ്വജഗത്തും അധിഷ്ഠിതം. അവൻ കാലാഗ്നിയിൽ ആശ്രിതനായിട്ടും അതീതനായ പരമാധാരമാണ്.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचकः सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• अनन्तः: Ananta (the Endless one)
• अनन्तः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्य-नाम (proper epithet)

• पठ्यते: is recited/read
• पठ्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पठ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• नागरूपी: having the form of a serpent
• नागरूपी: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाग + रूपिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (नागस्य रूपम् यस्य/नागरूपः)

• जनार्दनः: Janārdana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विष्णोः नाम

• तत्: that
• तत्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम

• आधारम्: support, basis
• आधारम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आधार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम

• सर्वम्: all, entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; संकेत-सर्वनाम

• कालाग्निम्: the fire of Time (cosmic fire)
• कालाग्निम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कालस्य अग्निः)

• अपाश्रितः: having resorted to / dependent on
• अपाश्रितः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अप + आ-श्रि (धातु) → अपाश्रित (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; ‘आश्रित’ = having resorted to

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the Purāṇic teaching on Vishnu-Ananta as cosmic support

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ananta
• Janardana
• Naga (serpent form)
• Kala (Time)
• Kala-agni (fire of Time)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as the limitless Ananta who functions as the underlying support (ādhāra) of all existence, implying a single sustaining reality beneath changing phenomena and even beneath the force of Time.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to contemplative support for dhyāna: meditating on the Lord as Ananta—the infinite substratum beyond temporal change—aligns the mind with steadiness (dhāraṇā) and dispassion toward Time-driven transformations.

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

While naming Janārdana (Vishnu), it uses the cosmic principle of Kāla-agni (often associated with Śaiva dissolution imagery) to show a shared theological ground: the one Supreme supports the cosmos and stands beyond the consuming power of Time, a common Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis theme in the Kūrma Purāṇa.