Shloka 5

Īśvara-gītā: The Supreme Lord as Brahman, the Source of Creation, and the Inner Self

Devanagari script

ततो ऽण्डमभवद्धैमं सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम् / तस्मिन् जज्ञे महाब्रह्मा मच्छक्त्या चोपबृंहितः

Transliteration

tato 'ṇḍamabhavaddhaimaṃ sūryakoṭisamaprabham / tasmin jajñe mahābrahmā macchaktyā copabṛṃhitaḥ

Translation

അപ്പോൾ കോടി സൂര്യന്മാരുടെ തേജസ്സുപോലെ ദീപ്തമായ സ്വർണമയ അണ്ഡം ഉദ്ഭവിച്ചു; അതിൽ മഹാബ്രഹ്മാ ജനിച്ചു, എന്റെ ദിവ്യശക്തിയാൽ പുഷ്ടനായി।

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then, thereafter
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) of sequence/time

• aṇḍam: egg (cosmic egg)
• aṇḍam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• abhavat: came into being
• abhavat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• dhaimam: golden
• dhaimam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhaima (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); adjective qualifying aṇḍam

• sūrya-koṭi-sama-prabham: having radiance equal to ten million suns
• sūrya-koṭi-sama-prabham: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sūrya (प्रातिपदिक) + koṭi (प्रातिपदिक) + sama (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhā/prabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound adjective qualifying aṇḍam; vigraha: sūryakoṭyāḥ samā prabhā yasya tat

• tasmin: in that (in it)
• tasmin: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine/Neuter (पुं/नपुंसक), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• jajñe: was born, arose
• jajñe: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahā-brahmā: the great Brahmā
• mahā-brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + brahmā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya: mahān brahmā

• mat-śaktyā: by my power
• mat-śaktyā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); genitive-tatpuruṣa: mama śaktiḥ

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक)

• upabṛṃhitaḥ: strengthened, augmented
• upabṛṃhitaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: upa-bṛṃh (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta: past passive participle (क्त/कृत्), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); agrees with mahābrahmā

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) describing cosmic creation

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Hiraṇyagarbha (Golden Cosmic Egg)
• Brahmā
• Śakti (divine power of the Lord)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as Īśvara whose śakti manifests the cosmos and empowers Brahmā—implying that the creative principle operates through the Lord’s own power, not independently.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is prescribed in this verse; it supplies the contemplative foundation for yoga—meditation on Īśvara as the source of creation and on śakti as the sustaining power behind all manifestation.

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

By grounding creation in the one Lord’s śakti, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the supreme Īśvara (understood as Hari-Hara in puranic theology) empowers the creator and sustains cosmic order.