Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 3

Iśvara on Māyā, the Unmanifest, and the Viśvarūpa of the One Supreme

Devanagari script

अनादिनिधना शक्तिर्मायाव्यक्तसमाश्रया / तन्निमित्तः प्रपञ्चो ऽयमव्यक्तादभवत् खलु

Transliteration

anādinidhanā śaktirmāyāvyaktasamāśrayā / tannimittaḥ prapañco 'yamavyaktādabhavat khalu

Translation

ଅନାଦି ଓ ଅନନ୍ତ ଶକ୍ତି—ମାୟା—ଅବ୍ୟକ୍ତକୁ ଆଶ୍ରୟ କରିଛି। ସେହି ନିମିତ୍ତରୁ ଏହି ସମଗ୍ର ପ୍ରପଞ୍ଚ ସତ୍ୟରେ ଅବ୍ୟକ୍ତରୁ ଉତ୍ପନ୍ନ ହୋଇଛି।

Word by Word

• anādi-nidhanā: beginningless and endless
• anādi-nidhanā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anādi (प्रातिपदिक) + nidhana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन; Karmadhāraya: 'anādi ca nidhanā ca' (beginningless and endless)

• śaktiḥ: power (śakti)
• śaktiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन

• māyā-avyakta-samāśrayā: resting upon māyā and the unmanifest
• māyā-avyakta-samāśrayā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: māyā (प्रातिपदिक) + avyakta (प्रातिपदिक) + samāśraya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन; Tatpuruṣa: 'māyāyāḥ avyaktasya ca samāśrayā' (resting on māyā and the unmanifest)

• tat: of that
• tat: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Genitive/षष्ठी (6), Singular/एकवचन (in compound sense with nimitta)

• nimittaḥ: as the cause
• nimittaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nimitta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन

• prapañcaḥ: the manifested world
• prapañcaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prapañca (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन

• ayam: this
• ayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक/सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/प्रथमा (1), Singular/एकवचन; deictic

• avyaktāt: from the unmanifest
• avyaktāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: avyakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Ablative/पञ्चमी (5), Singular/एकवचन

• abhavat: came to be
• abhavat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect/लङ् (लङ्-लकार), 3rd Person/प्रथमपुरुष, Singular/एकवचन, Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• khalu: indeed
• khalu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: khalu (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक/खल्वर्थ-अव्यय)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu), teaching in the Ishvara Gita discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma (Vishnu)
• Maya
• Avyakta (the Unmanifest)
• Shakti

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that the manifest universe is not ultimate; it proceeds from the Unmanifest through Māyā-Śakti, indicating a transcendent ground beyond phenomena—consistent with the Ishvara Gita’s emphasis on the Supreme as the basis of both unmanifest and manifest.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports a contemplative Yoga approach: withdraw attention from prapañca (phenomenal multiplicity) and meditate on the avyakta (unmanifest ground) and its śakti, a foundation for inner detachment (vairāgya) and one-pointed contemplation taught in the Ishvara Gita context.

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

By presenting a single supreme ground (the Unmanifest) and its one Śakti as the source of creation, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where the same ultimate principle is taught through Vishnu (Kurma) while resonating with Shaiva language of Śakti and cosmic manifestation.