Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 71

Genealogies of Yadus and Vṛṣṇis; Navaratha’s Refuge to Sarasvatī; Rise of Sāttvata Tradition; Prelude to Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Incarnation

Devanagari script

स एव परमात्मासौ वासुदेवो जगन्मयः / हलायुधः स्वयं साक्षाच्छेषः संकर्षणः प्रभुः

Transliteration

sa eva paramātmāsau vāsudevo jaganmayaḥ / halāyudhaḥ svayaṃ sākṣāccheṣaḥ saṃkarṣaṇaḥ prabhuḥ

Translation

พระองค์นั้นเองคือปรมาตมัน—วาสุเทวะผู้แผ่ซ่านทั่วจักรวาล พระองค์ทรงอาวุธคันไถ และทรงเป็นเศษะเองโดยตรง คือสังกรษณะผู้เป็นพระผู้เป็นเจ้า ปรากฏอย่างประจักษ์

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Emphasis marker (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक/अवधारण)

• paramātmā: the Supreme Self
• paramātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya: 'supreme self'

• asau: that (person)
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• vāsudevaḥ: Vāsudeva
• vāsudevaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vāsudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• jagan-mayaḥ: pervading/constituted of the universe
• jagan-mayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jagat + maya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); तत्पुरुष: 'consisting of the world'

• halāyudhaḥ: Halāyudha
• halāyudhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: hala + āyudha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); तृतीया-तत्पुरुष epithet

• svayam: himself
• svayam: Emphasis/agentive focus (स्वकर्तृ-प्राधान्य)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• sākṣāt: directly/in person
• sākṣāt: Manner (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) meaning 'directly/in person'

• śeṣaḥ: Śeṣa (Ananta)
• śeṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• saṃkarṣaṇaḥ: Saṃkarṣaṇa
• saṃkarṣaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃkarṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• prabhuḥ: Lord/master
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) as the authoritative narrator identifying divine forms

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Paramatman
• Vasudeva
• Balarama (Halayudha)
• Shesha (Ananta)
• Sankarshana

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Paramātman as Vāsudeva who is jaganmaya—pervading and constituting the cosmos—yet personally manifest as the one Lord behind multiple divine forms.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is prescribed in this verse; its yogic import is contemplative—meditation on the one Paramātman appearing as Vāsudeva/Śeṣa/Saṅkarṣaṇa, supporting ekāgratā (one-pointed devotion) and tattva-jñāna.

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

By stressing a single Paramātman behind diverse divine manifestations, it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic, non-sectarian stance—encouraging readers to see unity of lordship rather than rivalry of forms.