Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 42

Devī-tattva, Śakti–Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla–Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction

Devanagari script

एका शक्तिः शिवैको ऽपि शक्तिमानुच्यते शिवः / शक्तयः शक्तिमन्तो ऽन्ये सर्वशक्तिसमुद्भवाः

Transliteration

ekā śaktiḥ śivaiko 'pi śaktimānucyate śivaḥ / śaktayaḥ śaktimanto 'nye sarvaśaktisamudbhavāḥ

Translation

Iisa ang Kapangyarihan (Śakti); at ang iisang Śiva ay tinatawag ding Taglay ng Kapangyarihan (Śaktimān). Lahat ng iba pang kapangyarihan at ang mga nagtataglay nito ay sumisibol mula sa kabuuan ng Kapangyarihang iyon.

Word by Word

• एका: one
• एका: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• शक्तिः: power/Śakti
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• एकः: one
• एकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• अपि: also/even
• अपि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावन/अपि-कारक अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• शक्तिमान्: powerful; possessor of Śakti
• शक्तिमान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakti-mant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण: शक्तिः अस्य अस्ति (possessing power)

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• शिवः: Śiva
• शिवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śiva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• शक्तयः: powers/Śaktis
• शक्तयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śakti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• शक्तिमन्तः: power-possessors
• शक्तिमन्तः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śakti-mant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त: possessing power

• अन्ये: others
• अन्ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: anya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• सर्वशक्ति-समुद्भवाः: arising from the total power
• सर्वशक्ति-समुद्भवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva-śakti + samudbhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: सर्वशक्तेः समुद्भवाः (arising from all power)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching the Ishvara Gita discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Shiva
• Shakti
• Ishvara (Supreme Lord)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as a single ultimate Reality described through Śiva and His Śakti—one source from which all manifested powers and empowered beings arise, implying a unitary ground behind multiplicity.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Ishvara-centric meditation in Pāśupata-oriented practice: contemplate the Lord as both Power (Śakti) and the Possessor of Power (Śaktimān), so the mind gathers from many forces into one supreme source.

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

Within the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, Vishnu (as Lord Kurma) teaches a Shaiva doctrine: Śiva is the supreme empowered Lord with one Śakti as the source of all energies—showing doctrinal unity rather than sectarian separation.