Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 10

Iśvara on Māyā, the Unmanifest, and the Viśvarūpa of the One Supreme

Devanagari script

तदेतत् परमं व्यक्तं प्रभामण्डलमण्डितम् / तदक्षरं परं ज्योतिस्तद् विष्णोः परमं पदम्

Transliteration

tadetat paramaṃ vyaktaṃ prabhāmaṇḍalamaṇḍitam / tadakṣaraṃ paraṃ jyotistad viṣṇoḥ paramaṃ padam

Translation

یہی وہ برترین حقیقت ہے جو واضح طور پر ظاہر ہے اور نور کے حلقے سے آراستہ ہے۔ یہی اَکشَر، یہی اعلیٰ ترین نور ہے؛ یہی وِشنو کا پرم پد ہے۔

Word by Word

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); in apposition to tat

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying (tat/etat)

• vyaktam: manifest
• vyaktam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vyakta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying (tat/etat)

• prabhā-maṇḍala-maṇḍitam: adorned with a halo of light
• prabhā-maṇḍala-maṇḍitam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prabhā (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍita (प्रातिपदिक; √maṇḍ + kta)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); compound meaning 'adorned with a circle of radiance'

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• akṣaram: imperishable
• akṣaram: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: akṣara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate/appositional adjective

• param: highest
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying jyotiḥ

• jyotiḥ: light, radiance
• jyotiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: that
• tat: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• viṣṇoḥ: of Viṣṇu
• viṣṇoḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying padam

• padam: abode, state, place
• padam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (Ishvara Gita context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Param Jyotis (Supreme Light)
• Akshara (Imperishable)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as directly knowable in realization—an imperishable (akṣara) luminous principle (param jyotis), not merely conceptual, and identified with the highest state called Vishnu’s parama-pada.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports dhyāna on the “supreme light” as a concrete contemplative support—visualized as a radiant halo—aligning with Ishvara Gita style practice where concentration on the imperishable luminous Reality culminates in liberation.

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

Though naming Vishnu’s supreme abode, it uses universal Shaiva-Yogic language—akṣara and param jyotis—typical of the Kurma Purana’s synthesis where the one Supreme is taught through both Vaishnava and Shaiva contemplative idioms.