Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 50

Commencement of the Upari-bhāga: The Sages Request Brahma-vidyā; Vyāsa Recalls the Badarikā Inquiry and Śiva–Viṣṇu Theophany

Devanagari script

यतः प्रसूतिर्भूतानां यत्रैतत् प्रविलीयते / तमासनस्थं भूतानामीशं ददृशिरे किल

Transliteration

yataḥ prasūtirbhūtānāṃ yatraitat pravilīyate / tamāsanasthaṃ bhūtānāmīśaṃ dadṛśire kila

Translation

യാരിൽ നിന്നാണ് സർവ്വഭൂതങ്ങളുടെ ജനനം ഉദ്ഭവിക്കുന്നത്, യാരിലേക്കാണ് ഈ സർവ്വജഗത്ത് ലയിക്കുന്നത്—ആ ഭൂതാധിപനായ ഈശ്വരനെ, യോഗാസനസ്ഥനായി, അവർ നിശ്ചയമായി ദർശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• यतः: from whom/whence
• यतः: अपादानार्थ-सम्बन्ध (Ablative/Source relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभावे पञ्चमी-प्रयोग (relative adverb from which/whence)

• प्रसूतिः: origin, birth
• प्रसूतिः: कर्ता (Karta; of implied 'is/occurs')
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसूतिः (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• यत्र: where
• यत्र: अधिकरणार्थ-सम्बन्ध (Locative relation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देश/अधिकरणवाचक (relative adverb: where)

• एतत्: this (universe/this all)
• एतत्: कर्म (Karma/Object; of pravilīyate)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम (this)

• प्रविलीयते: dissolves
• प्रविलीयते: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वि + √ली (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; भावे/कर्मणि प्रयोग (dissolves/merges)

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• आसनस्थम्: seated (on the throne)
• आसनस्थम्: कर्मविशेषण (Object-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आसन (प्रातिपदिक) + स्थ (प्रातिपदिक/कृदन्त from √स्था)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (आसने स्थितम् = seated on the seat)

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन

• ईशम्: the Lord
• ईशम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; apposition to तम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ददृशिरे: they saw
• ददृशिरे: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• किल: indeed
• किल: निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किल (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रसिद्ध्यर्थक (particle: indeed)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) describing the sages’ vision of Īśvara as taught in the Īśvara-gītā context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara
• Bhūtas (all beings)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme Lord (Īśvara)—the inner Self beyond change—as the source from which all beings arise and the ground into which the cosmos dissolves, indicating a single ultimate reality behind creation and pralaya.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The phrase āsanastham points to a yogic, meditative stance: stability in āsana and inward absorption, by which seers gain direct vision (darśana) of Īśvara—an orientation consistent with the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning discipline of contemplation on the Lord.

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

By focusing on Īśvara as the one Lord of all beings—source and dissolution of the universe—the verse supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where the supreme divinity is approached without rigid separation of Śiva and Viṣṇu.