Shloka 15

Īśvara-gītā: Bhakti as the Supreme Means; the Three Śaktis; Non-compelled Lordship

Devanagari script

अहं हि जगतामादौ ब्रह्माणं परमेष्ठिनम् / विधाय दत्तवान् वेदानशेषानात्मनिः सृतान्

Transliteration

ahaṃ hi jagatāmādau brahmāṇaṃ parameṣṭhinam / vidhāya dattavān vedānaśeṣānātmaniḥ sṛtān

Translation

ଜଗତର ଆଦିକାଳେ ମୁଁ ପରମେଷ୍ଠୀ ବ୍ରହ୍ମାଙ୍କୁ ନିଯୁକ୍ତ କରି, ମୋ ଅନ୍ତରରୁ ନିଷ୍ପନ୍ନ ସମସ୍ତ ବେଦ ତାଙ୍କୁ ଦାନ କଲି।

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुषार्थे; एकवचन, प्रथमा (1st case, nominative)

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; हेत्वर्थ/निश्चयार्थ-बलप्रद

• जगताम्: of the worlds
• जगताम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; षष्ठी (6th case, genitive), बहुवचन

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th case, locative), एकवचन; काल/अवधि-अधिकरण

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd case, accusative), एकवचन

• परमेष्ठिनम्: the Supreme Lord (epithet)
• परमेष्ठिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परमेष्ठिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier) ब्रह्माणम् प्रति

• विधाय: having created/ordained
• विधाय: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + धा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; पूर्वकालिक क्रिया ‘having created/arranged’

• दत्तवान्: gave / has bestowed
• दत्तवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + क्तवत् (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त (perfect participle used as finite); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग; (लिट्-अर्थे ‘has given’)

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• अशेषान्: entire/without remainder
• अशेषान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अशेष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण वेदान् प्रति

• आत्मनि: in oneself
• आत्मनि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी, एकवचन; अधिकरण

• निःसृतान्: emanated/issued forth
• निःसृतान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + सृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया, बहुवचन; विशेषण वेदान् प्रति

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu as the Supreme Ishvara speaking in a creation-context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma (Vishnu/Ishvara)
• Brahma
• Vedas

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as the primal source from whom the Vedas themselves emerge, implying an Ishvara who is both immanent (Vedas arise within Him) and transcendent (He appoints Brahmā to begin creation).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds śāstra-pramāṇa (scriptural authority) as rooted in Ishvara; in Kurma Purana’s yogic ethos, this supports īśvara-bhakti/īśvara-praṇidhāna—steady contemplation and surrender to the Lord as the revealer of Veda and dharma.

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

Though Vishnu speaks as Kurma, the theology is non-sectarian: one supreme Ishvara empowers Brahmā and reveals the Veda—consistent with the Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis where ultimate lordship is a single reality expressed through different divine forms.