Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 73

Tīrtha-māhātmya and Rudra’s Samanvaya Teaching

Maṅkaṇaka Episode

Devanagari script

आत्मानन्दपरं तत्त्वं चिन्मात्रं परमं पदम् / आकाशं निष्कलं ब्रह्म तस्मादन्यन्न विद्यते

Transliteration

ātmānandaparaṃ tattvaṃ cinmātraṃ paramaṃ padam / ākāśaṃ niṣkalaṃ brahma tasmādanyanna vidyate

Translation

خود کی آنند میں قائم برتر حقیقت ہی اعلیٰ مقام ہے—وہ محض چِت (شعور) ہے۔ وہ آکاش کی مانند ہمہ گیر، بے جزو برہمن ہے؛ اس کے سوا کچھ نہیں۔

Word by Word

• आत्म-आनन्द-परम्: centered in the bliss of the Self
• आत्म-आनन्द-परम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक) + पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (षष्ठी/सम्बन्ध) ‘आत्मनः आनन्दः’ + ‘पर’ = devoted/supreme in self-bliss

• तत्त्वम्: reality; principle
• तत्त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• चित्-मात्रम्: mere consciousness; pure awareness
• चित्-मात्रम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चित् (प्रातिपदिक) + मात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—‘चित् एव मात्रम्’ = pure consciousness alone

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• पदम्: state; abode; goal
• पदम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• आकाशम्: space; ether
• आकाशम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• निष्कलम्: partless; without divisions
• निष्कलम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निष्कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; निः + कल (without parts)

• ब्रह्म: Brahman
• ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• तस्मात्: from that; than that
• तस्मात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• विद्यते: exists; is found
• विद्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु) [विद्-सत्तायाम्]
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in a Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis (Ishvara-Gita style teaching)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Atman
• Cit (Consciousness)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the highest truth as Self-bliss and pure Consciousness (cinmātra), declaring it the supreme state (paramaṃ padam) and affirming that nothing exists apart from that non-dual Reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

While not listing techniques, the verse points to the contemplative aim of Yoga: absorption in partless Brahman (niṣkala brahma) by recognizing pure awareness as the sole reality—an orientation consistent with Kurma Purana’s Pashupata-leaning renunciant insight and meditative discrimination (viveka).

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

By teaching a single, partless Brahman beyond all divisions, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: Shiva and Vishnu are understood as expressions of the same ultimate Consciousness rather than competing absolutes.