Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 68

Adhyāya 25 — Liṅga-māhātmya (The Chapter on the Liṅga): Hari’s Śiva-Worship and the Fiery Pillar Theophany

Devanagari script

सहस्त्रशीर्षा भूत्वाहं सहस्त्राक्षः सहस्त्रपात् सहस्त्रबाहुर्युक्तात्मा शयितो ऽहं सनातनः

Transliteration

sahastraśīrṣā bhūtvāhaṃ sahastrākṣaḥ sahastrapāt sahastrabāhuryuktātmā śayito 'haṃ sanātanaḥ

Translation

เราผู้เป็นนิรันดร์ได้ทรงแปลงเป็นรูปจักรวาล มีเศียรพัน ดวงตาพัน เท้าพัน และกรพัน—ตั้งมั่นในโยคะและสำรวมตน—บรรทมอยู่เป็นฐานอันไม่แปรผันของสรรพสิ่ง

Word by Word

• सहस्त्रशीर्षा: having a thousand heads
• सहस्त्रशीर्षा: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘ahaṃ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र + शीर्षन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—‘यस्यानि सहस्रं शीर्षाणि सः’ (one who has a thousand heads)

• भूत्वा: having become
• भूत्वा: पूर्वकालक्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā/Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त (Absolutive/Gerund), ‘having become’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सहस्त्राक्षः: having a thousand eyes
• सहस्त्राक्षः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘ahaṃ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—‘यस्यानि सहस्रम् अक्षीणि सः’

• सहस्त्रपात्: having a thousand feet
• सहस्त्रपात्: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘ahaṃ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र + पाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—‘यस्यानि सहस्रं पादाः सः’ (stem in -t)

• सहस्त्रबाहुः: having a thousand arms
• सहस्त्रबाहुः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘ahaṃ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहस्र + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि—‘यस्यानि सहस्रं बाहवः सः’

• युक्तात्मा: self-composed, united in spirit
• युक्तात्मा: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘ahaṃ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (युज्-धातु, क्त) + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय—‘युक्तः आत्मा यस्य’/‘युक्तः आत्मा’ (composed/collected in self)

• शयितः: reclining
• शयितः: कर्तृसम्बन्धी-विशेषण (Predicative to ‘ahaṃ’)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शी (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘lying/reclining’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: विशेषण (Qualifier of ‘ahaṃ’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu/Narayana speaking in a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Virat (Cosmic Form)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It portrays the Supreme as both immanent and cosmic—manifesting as the all-pervading virāṭ with “thousand” limbs (infinite powers), yet remaining sanātana, the eternal ground in which the universe rests.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The key term yuktātmā indicates yogic integration—steady, collected consciousness. The verse supports meditation on the Lord as the cosmic form while emphasizing inner self-mastery (yoga-yukti) rather than mere visualization.

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

By presenting the Supreme as the single eternal Ishvara who pervades all forms and powers, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian stance: the highest reality transcends names and is approached through both Shaiva (yoga/īśvara) and Vaishnava (Narayana/avatāra) idioms.