Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 108

Devī-tattva, Śakti–Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla–Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction

Devanagari script

गुह्यविद्यात्मविद्या च धर्मविद्यात्मभाविता / स्वाहा विश्वंभरा सिद्धिः स्वधा मेधा धृतिः श्रुतिः

Transliteration

guhyavidyātmavidyā ca dharmavidyātmabhāvitā / svāhā viśvaṃbharā siddhiḥ svadhā medhā dhṛtiḥ śrutiḥ

Translation

Dia ialah ilmu rahsia dan ilmu tentang Ātman; ilmu dharma yang disinari realisasi batin. Dia ialah Svāhā; penyangga alam semesta; siddhi, keberhasilan rohani. Dia ialah Svadhā; medhā, kecerdasan; dhṛti, keteguhan; dan śruti, wahyu suci.

Word by Word

• गुह्यविद्या: secret knowledge
• गुह्यविद्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुह्य-विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः: गुह्या विद्या (कर्मधारय)

• आत्मविद्या: self-knowledge
• आत्मविद्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्म-विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः: आत्मनः विद्या (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• धर्मविद्या: knowledge of dharma
• धर्मविद्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म-विद्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः: धर्मस्य विद्या (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• आत्मभाविता: cultivated by the self; self-infused
• आत्मभाविता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्म-भाविता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्तः: भावित (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle) √भू/√भाव (धातु) ‘to cause to be, to cultivate’; समासः: आत्मना भाविता/आत्मभावेन भाविता (तत्पुरुष)

• स्वाहा: Svāhā (oblation-call)
• स्वाहा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वाहा (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभूत-नाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; यज्ञे उच्चार्य-शब्दः (as a deity-name)

• विश्वंभरा: supporter of the universe
• विश्वंभरा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विश्वं-भरा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण-प्रयोगः; समासः: विश्वं भरति इति (उपपद-तत्पुरुष); सन्धिः: विश्वम् + भरा → विश्वंभरा

• सिद्धिः: attainment, perfection
• सिद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• स्वधा: Svadhā (ancestral offering-call)
• स्वधा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वधा (प्रातिपदिक/अव्ययीभूत-नाम)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पितृयज्ञे उच्चार्य-शब्दः (as a deity-name)

• मेधा: intelligence
• मेधा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• धृतिः: steadfastness
• धृतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रुतिः: revelation; hearing; Veda
• श्रुतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रुति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita section

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Svāhā
• Svadhā
• Śruti
• Siddhi

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By identifying the Divine as ātma-vidyā (Self-knowledge) itself, the verse frames liberation as inward realization—where true knowledge is not merely doctrinal but ātma-bhāvitā, spiritually assimilated.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes ātma-vidyā and ātma-bhāvitā—knowledge matured through inner contemplation—leading to siddhi (attainment). In the Ishvara Gita’s Pāśupata-oriented tone, this points to disciplined practice where insight, steadiness (dhṛti), and scriptural listening (śruti) support realization.

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

In the Ishvara Gita’s synthetic theology, the same supreme Divine power is presented as both Vedic-sacrificial (Svāhā/Svadhā) and yogic-gnostic (ātma-vidyā/siddhi), aligning Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava paths as complementary expressions of one Reality.