Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 19

Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

Devanagari script

महान्तमेभिः सहितं ब्रह्माणमतितेजसम् / अव्यक्तं जगतो योनिः संहरेदेकमव्ययम्

Transliteration

mahāntamebhiḥ sahitaṃ brahmāṇamatitejasam / avyaktaṃ jagato yoniḥ saṃharedekamavyayam

Translation

ఈ మహత్ తత్త్వములతో కూడి ఆయన అతితేజస్వి బ్రహ్మనూ కూడా సంహరిస్తాడు; జగత్తుకు యోని అయిన అవ్యక్తం సమస్త విశ్వాన్ని ఏక అవ్యయ పరతత్త్వంలో సమీకరిస్తుంది।

Word by Word

• महान्तम्: Mahat (cosmic intellect)
• महान्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• एभिः: with these
• एभिः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन (Plural); सर्वनाम

• सहितम्: accompanied/along with
• सहितम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सह (धातु) + इत (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); ‘सह’ (to accompany)

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā (Hiraṇyagarbha)
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अतितेजसम्: exceedingly radiant
• अतितेजसम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular); उपपद-तत्पुरुष: अति-तेजस् (exceedingly radiant)

• अव्यक्तम्: the Unmanifest (avyakta)
• अव्यक्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• जगतः: of the world
• जगतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (Singular)

• योनिः: source/womb
• योनिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

• संहरेत्: would withdraw/absorb
• संहरेत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-हृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular), परस्मैपद

• एकम्: one
• एकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

• अव्ययम्: imperishable
• अव्ययम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating Purāṇic cosmology to the sages, in the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Mahat
• Avyakta
• Eka (the One)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It points to an imperishable One (ekam avyayam) beyond even Brahmā and cosmic principles, into which the universe is reabsorbed—implying a supreme, changeless reality underlying creation and dissolution.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports dissolution-meditation (laya-bhāvanā): tracing the mind from gross phenomena back through tattvas (like Mahat) to the avyakta, and finally resting awareness in the imperishable One—consistent with Kurma Purana’s Yoga-shāstra tone that culminates in steady absorption.

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

By emphasizing a single imperishable source beyond cosmic roles, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: sectarian forms (whether framed as Śiva or Viṣṇu) point to one ultimate reality into which all principles and deities resolve at pralaya.