Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Cosmic Realms Above Dhruva, the Pātālas Below, and the Foundation of Pralaya

Ananta–Kāla

Devanagari script

अत्र लोकगुरुर्ब्रह्मा विश्वात्मा विश्वतोमुखः / आस्ते स योगिभिर्नित्यं पीत्वा योगामृतं परम्

Transliteration

atra lokagururbrahmā viśvātmā viśvatomukhaḥ / āste sa yogibhirnityaṃ pītvā yogāmṛtaṃ param

Translation

ณ ที่นี้ พรหมา—ครูแห่งโลกทั้งหลาย ผู้เป็นอาตมันแห่งสากล และผู้มีพระพักตร์หันไปทุกทิศ—สถิตอยู่เนืองนิตย์ท่ามกลางเหล่าโยคี ครั้นได้ดื่มอมฤตอันสูงสุดแห่งโยคะแล้ว

Word by Word

• atra: here
• atra: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atra (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• loka-guruḥ: teacher of the worlds
• loka-guruḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक) + guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• viśva-ātmā: the soul of the universe
• viśva-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (apposition to ‘brahmā’)

• viśvataḥ-mukhaḥ: facing all directions
• viśvataḥ-mukhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśvatas (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + mukha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (agreeing with ‘brahmā’); अव्ययीभाव: viśvataḥ (from all sides) + mukha (faced)

• āste: sits/abides
• āste: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ās (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• yogibhiḥ: by/with yogis
• yogibhiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yogin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
• Form: अव्ययवत् प्रयोग (adverbial accusative): ‘always’

• pītvā: having drunk
• pītvā: Kriya (क्रियासम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √pā (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त; त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), पूर्वकालिक क्रिया (prior action)

• yoga-amṛtam: the nectar of yoga
• yoga-amṛtam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yoga (प्रातिपदिक) + amṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (accusative, 2nd), एकवचन

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (agreeing with ‘amṛtam’)

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (Vyāsa/Śaunaka-style narration) describing Brahmā’s yogic status within the Kurma Purana’s teaching context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Yogins
• Yoga-amṛta

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling Brahmā “viśvātmā” (universal Self) and “viśvatomukha” (all-faced), the verse points to a yogic vision where true Selfhood is not limited to an individual body-mind but is realized as all-pervading consciousness.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The key idea is sustained yogic absorption: Brahmā is said to abide “nityam” among yogins after “drinking” the yoga-amṛta—suggesting steady practice culminating in direct taste of yogic realization (samādhi-like attainment) rather than mere ritual or theory.

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

Although Śiva or Viṣṇu are not named in this specific line, the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis frames the highest yoga-realization as a single supreme truth accessible to great cosmic beings (like Brahmā) and yogins alike—supporting a non-sectarian, integrative (Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava) theological tone.