Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

Puṣkara-dvīpa, Lokāloka, and the Measure of the Brahmāṇḍa

Cosmic Egg

Devanagari script

अनन्तमेकमव्यक्तनादिनिधनं महत् / अतीत्य वर्तते सर्वं जगत् प्रकृतिरक्षरम्

Transliteration

anantamekamavyaktanādinidhanaṃ mahat / atītya vartate sarvaṃ jagat prakṛtirakṣaram

Translation

അനന്തവും ഏകവും അവ്യക്തവും ആദി-അന്തമില്ലാത്ത മഹത്തുമായ ഈ അക്ഷരപ്രകൃതി സർവ്വജഗത്തെയും അതിക്രമിച്ചും അതിൽ സർവ്വത്ര വ്യാപിച്ചും നിലകൊള്ളുന്നു।

Word by Word

• अनन्तम्: endless; infinite
• अनन्तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; महत् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; महत् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अव्यक्त-नादि-निधनम्: unmanifest, beginningless, and ending (as dissolution)
• अव्यक्त-नादि-निधनम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त + न + आदि + निधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः: अव्यक्तम् (unmanifest) + न-आदि (without beginning) + निधनम् (end/cessation)

• महत्: the Mahat (cosmic principle)
• महत्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; सांख्ये ‘महत्’ (cosmic intellect)

• अतीत्य: having transcended
• अतीत्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अतीत्य (कृदन्त; √इ with अति-; ल्यप्/क्त्वा-प्रत्यय)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्ययम् (absolutive/gerund) ‘having transcended/passed beyond’

• वर्तते: exists; proceeds
• वर्तते: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः (Present), प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; आत्मनेपदम्

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; जगत् इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• जगत्: the world; universe
• जगत्: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• प्रकृतिः: Prakṛti (primordial nature)
• प्रकृतिः: विधेय (Predicate nominative/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; जगत् इत्यस्य विधेय/अप्पोजिशन (apposition)

• अक्षरम्: imperishable
• अक्षरम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; प्रकृतिः/जगत् इत्यस्य विशेषणम् (imperishable)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in a Sankhya-Yoga framework within the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Prakriti
• Akshara
• Mahat

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By describing an imperishable, unmanifest, beginningless reality that transcends the moving universe, the verse points to a changeless ground of being—read as the Akṣara/Brahman-like principle beyond mutable phenomena.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports a contemplative Sankhya-Yoga meditation: discern the perishable world (jagat) from the imperishable principle (akṣara) and steady the mind on the unmanifest source (avyakta), a foundation for later Pashupata-style inner renunciation and absorption.

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

Though phrased in Sankhya metaphysics, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: the imperishable, transcendent ground taught by Vishnu (Kurma) is the same highest reality revered as Shiva in Shaiva frames—one truth expressed through multiple divine names.