Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 12

Īśvara-gītā: Antaryāmin, Kāla, and the Divine Ordinance Governing Creation, Preservation, and Pralaya

Devanagari script

स मन्नियोगतो देवो ब्रह्मा मद्भावभावितः / दिव्यं तन्मामकैश्वर्यं सर्वदा वहति स्वयम्

Transliteration

sa manniyogato devo brahmā madbhāvabhāvitaḥ / divyaṃ tanmāmakaiśvaryaṃ sarvadā vahati svayam

Translation

तो देव ब्रह्मा माझ्या नियोगाने, माझ्या भावाने भावित होऊन, माझेच ते दिव्य ऐश्वर्य सदैव स्वतः धारण करतो।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मत्-नियोगतः: by my command
• मत्-नियोगतः: हेतु/करण (Hetu/Karaṇa; cause/means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी-अर्थक) + नियोग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास: “मम नियोगः” (my command/commission); तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभाव-प्राय रूप “नियोगतः” = पञ्चमी-अर्थे (ablatival adverbial): “by/through/from the command”; एकवचन

• देवः: the god
• देवः: कर्ता (Apposition to सः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: कर्ता (Apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (Nom. sg.; irregular stem)

• मत्-भाव-भावितः: imbued with my essence
• मत्-भाव-भावितः: विशेषण (of ब्रह्मा/देवः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मत् (अस्मद्-षष्ठी-अर्थक) + भाव (प्रातिपदिक) + भावित (कृदन्त; √भू/√भाव् caus. with क्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास: “मद्भावेन भावितः” (imbued with my nature); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• दिव्यम्: divine
• दिव्यम्: विशेषण (of ऐश्वर्यम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दिव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण/निर्देशक (Determiner of ऐश्वर्यम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (Acc. sg.)

• मामक-ऐश्वर्यम्: my sovereignty
• मामक-ऐश्वर्यम्: कर्म (Karman/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मामक (प्रातिपदिक; ‘belonging to me’) + ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास: “मामकं ऐश्वर्यम्” (my own sovereignty); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सर्वदा: always
• सर्वदा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: सर्वदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• वहति: bears/carries
• वहति: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• स्वयम्: himself
• स्वयम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वयम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable), आत्मनः (by oneself)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu/Narayana) speaking as the Supreme Ishvara

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Narayana (implicit as 'Ishvara/I')
• Aishvarya (divine sovereignty)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as the source of all delegated power: even Brahmā functions through the Lord’s niyoga (commission) and is filled with the Lord’s bhāva, implying that ultimate agency and sovereignty rest in the one Ishvara.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse implies īśvara-bhāvanā—contemplation that all capacities operate through the indwelling Lord. In Kurma Purana’s yoga-theology, this supports devotion and meditative absorption where one sees divine agency behind cosmic functions.

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

While naming Brahmā directly, it reflects the Purana’s broader non-sectarian framework: divine offices and powers are upheld by one supreme Ishvara, a view compatible with Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis where ultimate sovereignty is unified rather than rivalrous.