Shloka 3

Īśvara-gītā: The Supreme Lord as Brahman, the Source of Creation, and the Inner Self

Devanagari script

मम योनिर्महद् ब्रह्म तत्र गर्भं दधाम्यहम् / मूलं मायाभिधानं तु ततो जातमिदं जगत्

Transliteration

mama yonirmahad brahma tatra garbhaṃ dadhāmyaham / mūlaṃ māyābhidhānaṃ tu tato jātamidaṃ jagat

Translation

میری یَونی مہد برہمن ہے؛ اسی میں میں بیج رکھتا ہوں۔ وہی مُول ‘مایا’ کہلاتا ہے؛ اسی سے یہ سارا جگت پیدا ہوتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• मम: my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम

• योनिḥ: womb/source
• योनिḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महत्: great
• महत्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ब्रह्म: Brahman / the Great Brahma (principle)
• ब्रह्म: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्र: there/in that
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of place)

• गर्भम्: embryo/seed
• गर्भम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• दधामि: I place
• दधामि: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; √धा (to place/put)

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

• मूलम्: root/cause
• मूलम्: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन (contextually predicate/subject)

• मायाभिधानम्: called ‘māyā’
• मायाभिधानम्: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया + अभिधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: मायायाः अभिधानम् (name/designation)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• ततः: from that/thereupon
• ततः: Apādāna (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अपादान/हेतुवाचक-अव्यय (ablatival adverb: from that/thereupon)

• जातम्: born/produced
• जातम्: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जन् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; √जन् (born/produced)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; निकटवाचक-सर्वनाम

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu/Ishvara) teaching creation through Māyā-Prakriti

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Mahat
• Maya
• Jagat

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as the intelligent source-cause who, while transcendent, initiates manifestation by placing the causal “seed” into the cosmic principle; the world arises through Māyā, not from any limitation in the Atman.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports a Yoga-Shastra approach of discernment (viveka): the practitioner distinguishes the Supreme Ishvara from Māyā/Prakriti and its evolutes (like Mahat), using this metaphysical clarity as the basis for meditation and liberation.

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

By teaching a single supreme Ishvara who governs Māyā and creation, the Kurma Purana frames divinity in a non-sectarian way compatible with Shaiva-Pashupata and Vaishnava theology—one Lord, many revered forms.