Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 14

Īśvara-gītā: Antaryāmin, Kāla, and the Divine Ordinance Governing Creation, Preservation, and Pralaya

Devanagari script

यो ऽपि नारायणो ऽनन्तो लोकानां प्रभवाव्ययः / ममैव परमा मूर्तिः करोति परिपालनम्

Transliteration

yo 'pi nārāyaṇo 'nanto lokānāṃ prabhavāvyayaḥ / mamaiva paramā mūrtiḥ karoti paripālanam

Translation

وہی نارائن جو اننت ہے، جہانوں کا لازوال سرچشمہ ہے—درحقیقت وہ میری ہی اعلیٰ ترین تجلّی ہے، اور وہی تخلیق کی نگہبانی کرتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative/Prathamā (प्रथमा) singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun (सम्बन्धवाचक सर्वनाम)

• api: also/even
• api: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), additive/concessive sense

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular

• anantaḥ: endless
• anantaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of Karta
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ananta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; adjective qualifying nārāyaṇaḥ

• lokānām: of the worlds
• lokānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive/Ṣaṣṭhī (षष्ठी) plural (बहुवचन)

• prabhavaḥ: origin/source
• prabhavaḥ: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; in compound with avyayaḥ

• avyayaḥ: imperishable
• avyayaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; karmadhāraya with prabhavaḥ = prabhavaḥ ca avyayaḥ ca (origin and imperishable)

• mama: of me/my
• mama: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive/Ṣaṣṭhī singular; pronoun

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Emphatic particle (निपात)

• paramā: supreme
• paramā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative singular; qualifies mūrtiḥ

• mūrtiḥ: form/manifestation
• mūrtiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative singular

• karoti: does/performs
• karoti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present tense/Laṭ (लट्), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष) singular

• paripālanam: protection/maintenance
• paripālanam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: paripālana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative/Dvitīyā (द्वितीया) singular

Speaker

Lord Ishvara (as taught in the Ishvara Gita within the Kurma Purana dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Ananta

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as one Reality expressing itself through a “supreme manifestation” (paramā mūrtiḥ), indicating a single Lord who can appear as Nārāyaṇa to sustain the cosmos while remaining the imperishable source.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse emphasizes contemplative theism: meditation on the one Ishvara who manifests as Nārāyaṇa/Ananta for world-sustenance—supporting Ishvara-upāsanā that, in the Ishvara Gita context, aligns with disciplined devotion and inner steadiness taught alongside Pāśupata-oriented virtues.

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

It expresses a synthesis: Nārāyaṇa is affirmed as the supreme manifestation of the same ultimate Lord speaking here, supporting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian Shaiva–Vaishnava unity where preservation is performed through a single divine reality.