Shloka 19

Īśvara-gītā: Brahman as All-Pervading—Kāla, Prakṛti–Puruṣa, Tattva-Evolution, and Mokṣa

Devanagari script

महतः परमव्यक्तमव्यक्तात् पुरुषः परः / पुरुषाद् भगवान् प्राणस्तस्य सर्वमिदं जगत्

Transliteration

mahataḥ paramavyaktamavyaktāt puruṣaḥ paraḥ / puruṣād bhagavān prāṇastasya sarvamidaṃ jagat

Translation

เหนือมหัตคืออว்யกตอันสูงสุด และเหนืออว்யกตคือปุรุษผู้เหนือโลก จากปุรุษนั้นบังเกิดภควานปราณ และจักรวาลทั้งปวงนี้ดำรงอยู่ด้วยปราณนั้น.

Word by Word

• महतः: from mahat
• महतः: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• परम्: higher
• परम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अव्यक्तम्)

• अव्यक्तम्: the unmanifest
• अव्यक्तम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपदम्

• अव्यक्तात्: from the unmanifest
• अव्यक्तात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• पुरुषः: Puruṣa (spirit/person)
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपदम्

• परः: higher
• परः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषणम् (पुरुषः)

• पुरुषात्: from Puruṣa
• पुरुषात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेष्यः (प्राणः)

• प्राणः: Prāṇa (life-breath)
• प्राणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृपदम्

• तस्य: of him/of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (इदं जगत्)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम, विशेष्य-सह (जगत्)

• जगत्: world/universe
• जगत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्तृ/विधेयपदम् (तस्य सर्वम् इदं जगत्)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the cosmological teaching within the Purāṇic discourse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mahat
• Avyakta
• Puruṣa
• Prāṇa
• Jagat

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It places the Puruṣa as transcendent beyond the Unmanifest (avyakta), indicating a conscious principle superior to material causality; the cosmos is then shown as dependent on a divine life-principle (prāṇa) proceeding from that higher consciousness.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds prāṇa as a cosmic principle, aligning with prāṇa-sādhana in Yoga: regulating and contemplating prāṇa as a gateway to discern Puruṣa beyond prakṛti’s unmanifest ground—an idea compatible with the Kurma Purana’s broader ascetic and Pāśupata-oriented discipline.

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

While not naming them, it uses shared Purāṇic metaphysics—Puruṣa and the lordly prāṇa as supreme principles—supporting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian tendency to present ultimate reality in terms acceptable to both Śaiva (Īśvara) and Vaiṣṇava (Puruṣottama/Nārāyaṇa) frameworks.