Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 23

Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

Devanagari script

कूटस्थश्चिन्मयो ह्यात्मा केवलः पञ्चविंशकः / गीयते मुनिभिः साक्षी महानेकः पितामहः

Transliteration

kūṭasthaścinmayo hyātmā kevalaḥ pañcaviṃśakaḥ / gīyate munibhiḥ sākṣī mahānekaḥ pitāmahaḥ

Translation

കൂടസ്ഥനായ ചിന്മയ ആത്മാവ് ഏകാകിയും പരാത്പരനും—അതേ പഞ്ചവിംശ തത്ത്വം. മുനികൾ അവനെ ‘സാക്ഷി’ എന്നു പാടുന്നു—മഹാൻ, ഏകനായിട്ടും അനേകരൂപൻ, ആദി പിതാമഹൻ.

Word by Word

• कूटस्थः: unchanging, immutable
• कूटस्थः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूटस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• चिन्मयः: consisting of consciousness
• चिन्मयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित्+मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (चितः मयः = consciousness-made)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), हेतौ/निश्चये (indeed/for)

• आत्मा: Self
• आत्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• केवलः: alone, pure
• केवलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पञ्चविंशकः: the twenty-fifth (principle)
• पञ्चविंशकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चविंशक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्विगु-समास (पञ्चविंशतिः संख्या)

• गीयते: is sung/declared
• गीयते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन

• मुनिभिः: by sages
• मुनिभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• साक्षी: witness
• साक्षी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महान्: great
• महान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• एकः: one, single
• एकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• पितामहः: Grandfather (Brahmā)
• पितामहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) teaching in a syncretic Shaiva–Vaishnava philosophical frame

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Sakshi
• Panchavimshaka
• Pitamaha

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It defines the Ātman as kūṭastha (unchanging) and cinmaya (pure consciousness), the sākṣī (witness) beyond the twenty-four evolutes—i.e., the transcendent twenty-fifth principle.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports sākṣī-bhāva (witness-attitude) meditation: discerning the immutable conscious Self from prakṛti and its evolutes—an inner discipline aligned with Pāśupata-oriented renunciation and contemplative knowledge taught in the Kurma Purana’s later philosophical sections.

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

By presenting one supreme Witness-Self that is “one yet appearing as many,” it harmonizes sectarian forms: the same ultimate reality can be praised as Īśvara (often Śiva in Pāśupata idiom) and as Lord Kūrma/Vishnu in the Purāṇic narrative voice.