Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 62

Tīrtha-māhātmya and Rudra’s Samanvaya Teaching

Maṅkaṇaka Episode

Devanagari script

अहं सहस्रनयनः सर्वात्मा सर्वतोमुखः / दाहकः सर्वपापानां कालः कालकरो हरः

Transliteration

ahaṃ sahasranayanaḥ sarvātmā sarvatomukhaḥ / dāhakaḥ sarvapāpānāṃ kālaḥ kālakaro haraḥ

Translation

నేను సహస్రనయనుడు, సర్వాత్మ, సర్వతోముఖుడను; సమస్త పాపాలను దహించువాడను, కాలము, కాలకర్త, హరుడను।

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (singular), प्रथमा विभक्ति (nominative)

• सहस्र-नयनः: having a thousand eyes
• सहस्र-नयनः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक) + नयन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास (possessive), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (nom), एकवचन (sg); विशेषण (adjective)

• सर्व-आत्मा: the all-self; whose self is all
• सर्व-आत्मा: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमास (appositional), पुंलिङ्ग (masc), प्रथमा (nom), एकवचन (sg); विशेषण

• सर्वतः-मुखः: having faces everywhere
• सर्वतः-मुखः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-विशेषण/Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वतः (अव्यय) + मुख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहिसमास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण; सर्वतः = अव्यय (indeclinable) as first member

• दाहकः: burner; destroyer
• दाहकः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दाहक (प्रातिपदिक; √दह् (धातु) + ण्वुल्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun)

• सर्व-पापानाम्: of all sins
• सर्व-पापानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + पाप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (determinative), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neut) ‘पाप’, षष्ठी विभक्ति (genitive), बहुवचन (pl)

• कालः: Time; Death
• कालः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• काल-करः: maker/causer of time
• काल-करः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक) + कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘कालं करोति’ इति कर्तृवाचक

• हरः: Hara (Śiva); remover
• हरः: Karta-anvaya (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक; √हृ (धातु) + अच्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; शिवनाम

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara-Gita style, expressing the Supreme as Hara (Shiva-Vishnu unity)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Hara
• Kala (Time)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme as sarvātmā—the indwelling Self of all—omni-present (sarvatomukhaḥ) and all-seeing (sahasranayanaḥ), indicating a single Consciousness pervading every being.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Pāśupata-style contemplation of Īśvara as all-pervading and sin-burning (dāhakaḥ sarvapāpānām), encouraging meditation on the Lord’s omniscience and the purification of karma through devotion, japa, and inner absorption.

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

Though spoken in a Vaishnava setting (Lord Kurma), the Supreme is explicitly named Hara, presenting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where the one Īśvara is understood through both Shiva and Vishnu epithets.