Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 18

Īśvara-gītā: Bhakti as the Supreme Means; the Three Śaktis; Non-compelled Lordship

Devanagari script

अहमेव हि संहर्ता स्त्रष्टाहं परिपालकः / मायावी मामीका शक्तिर्माया लोकविमोहिनी

Transliteration

ahameva hi saṃhartā straṣṭāhaṃ paripālakaḥ / māyāvī māmīkā śaktirmāyā lokavimohinī

Translation

Ako lamang ang Tagapaglusaw; Ako ang Lumikha at Ako ang Tagapangalaga. Taglay ang kamangha-manghang kapangyarihan, ang Aking Shakti na tinatawag na Māyā ang siyang lumilinlang sa mga daigdig.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन, प्रथमा

• एव: alone/indeed
• एव: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• संहर्ता: destroyer
• संहर्ता: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सम् + हृ (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

• स्रष्टा: creator
• स्रष्टा: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + तृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: तृ-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; एकवचन, प्रथमा

• परिपालकः: protector
• परिपालकः: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परि + पाल (धातु) + ण्वुल्/क (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक नाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय

• मायावी: possessing māyā / magical
• मायावी: Karta/Predicate qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: माया + विन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण अहम् प्रति

• मामिका: mine / belonging to me
• मामिका: Karta/Predicate qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मामक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण शक्तिः प्रति (‘मम-सम्बन्धिनी’)

• शक्तिः: power
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृ/विधेय (second clause)

• माया: māyā, illusion
• माया: Karta/Predicate (कर्ता/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; शक्तेः अप्पोजिशन/विधेय

• लोकविमोहिनी: deluding the worlds
• लोकविमोहिनी: Karta/Predicate qualifier (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: लोक + विमोहिनी (प्रातिपदिक; वि + मुह् + णिनी)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (‘लोकान् विमोहयति इति’); विशेषण माया प्रति

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu as Ishvara, teaching in the Ishvara Gita section)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Ishvara
• Shakti
• Maya
• Loka

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as the single Ishvara who performs creation, preservation, and dissolution, indicating a non-dual lordship where all cosmic functions arise from one reality, while Māyā is His own power rather than an independent principle.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse frames the key contemplative basis for Ishvara-upāsanā in the Ishvara Gita: meditate on the Lord as the sole ground of all cosmic processes and discern Māyā as His Shakti that veils truth—supporting vairāgya (dispassion) and steadiness in devotion and yogic discrimination.

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

By describing one Supreme Ishvara with universal functions and Māyā-Śakti, the Kurma Purana’s Ishvara Gita supports a synthesis where the highest Lord transcends sectarian division—allowing Shaiva and Vaishnava names/forms to be understood as expressions of the same supreme reality.