Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 75

Devadāru (Dāruvana) Forest: The Delusion of Ritual Pride, the Liṅga Crisis, and the Teaching of Jñāna–Pāśupata Yoga

Devanagari script

चतुर्वेदश्चतुर्मूर्तिस्त्रिमूर्तिस्त्रिगुणः परः / एकमूर्तिरमेयात्मा नारायण इति श्रुतिः

Transliteration

caturvedaścaturmūrtistrimūrtistriguṇaḥ paraḥ / ekamūrtirameyātmā nārāyaṇa iti śrutiḥ

Translation

Siya ang apat na Veda; Siya ang apat na anyo; Siya ang Trimūrti at ang Panginoong higit sa tatlong guṇa. Bagama’t nagpapakita sa maraming anyo, ang Kanyang diwa ay Iisa—ang Sariling di-masusukat. Kaya ipinahahayag ng Śruti: “Siya ay Nārāyaṇa.”

Word by Word

• caturvedaḥ: having the four Vedas
• caturvedaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + veda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: चत्वारः वेदाः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• caturmūrtiḥ: having four forms
• caturmūrtiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: चतस्रः मूर्तयः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• trimūrtiḥ: having three forms
• trimūrtiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: तिस्रः मूर्तयः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• triguṇaḥ: having three qualities (guṇas)
• triguṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: त्रयो गुणाः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• paraḥ: supreme, beyond
• paraḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ekamūrtiḥ: having one form
• ekamūrtiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास: एका मूर्तिः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ameyātmā: immeasurable Self
• ameyātmā: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-meya (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: अमेयः आत्मा; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• iti: thus, as
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-प्रयोग अव्यय (quotative particle)

• śrutiḥ: the śruti (Vedic revelation)
• śrutiḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) speaking in the Ishvara Gita-style teaching section

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Trimurti
• Vedas
• Three Gunas
• Shruti

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as ultimately one (ekamūrti) and immeasurable (ameyātmā), while also being the source and inner reality of Veda, guṇas, and cosmic functions—affirmed by Śruti as Nārāyaṇa.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports a contemplative method central to the Kurma Purana’s yogic-theistic teaching: meditate on the One Lord beyond the guṇas, recognizing His many functional manifestations while fixing awareness on the single, immeasurable Self.

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

By identifying the Lord as “trimūrti” (the threefold cosmic function), it frames Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva as unified expressions of one supreme reality—supporting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis.