Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 17

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

Devanagari script

ततः परं परिपश्यन्ति धीरा आत्मन्यात्मानमनुभूयानुभूय / स्वयंप्रभः परमेष्ठी महीयान् ब्रह्मानन्दी भगवानीश एषः

Transliteration

tataḥ paraṃ paripaśyanti dhīrā ātmanyātmānamanubhūyānubhūya / svayaṃprabhaḥ parameṣṭhī mahīyān brahmānandī bhagavānīśa eṣaḥ

Translation

پھر دھیر لوگ پرم کو دیکھتے ہیں—اپنے ہی آتما میں آتما کا بار بار براہِ راست تجربہ کرتے ہوئے۔ وہ خود منوّر، پرمیشٹھھی، سب سے عظیم؛ برہمانندِ مجسّم، بھگوان ایشور یہی ہے۔

Word by Word

• tataḥ: thereafter/from that
• tataḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण): ‘thereafter/from that’

• param: further/then
• param: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adverb (क्रियाविशेषण): ‘further/then’

• paripaśyanti: they behold/see clearly
• paripaśyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √paś (दृश्) (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ-lakāra (लट्, present), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), plural (बहुवचन); with upasarga ‘pari-’

• dhīrāḥ: the steadfast/wise ones
• dhīrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Plural (बहुवचन)

• ātmani: in the Self
• ātmani: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular (एकवचन)

• ātmānam: the Self
• ātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन)

• anubhūya: having experienced
• anubhūya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anu-√bhū (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), avyaya-kṛdanta: ‘having experienced/realized’

• anubhūya: again and again experiencing
• anubhūya: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anu-√bhū (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), repetition for emphasis

• svayaṃprabhaḥ: self-luminous
• svayaṃprabhaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: svayam + prabha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); karmadhāraya: ‘self’ + ‘luminous’

• parameṣṭhī: the Supreme Lord (Parameṣṭhin)
• parameṣṭhī: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameṣṭhin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• mahīyān: greater
• mahīyān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahīyas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); comparative degree (तर/ईयसुन्): ‘greater’

• brahmānandī: blissful in Brahman
• brahmānandī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahma + ānandī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: ‘(one) whose bliss is Brahman / rejoicing in Brahman’

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• īśaḥ: the Lord
• īśaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• eṣaḥ: this (one)
• eṣaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) teaching in the Īśvara-gītā context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Atman
• Brahman
• Ishvara (Īśa/Bhagavān)
• Parameṣṭhī

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Supreme is realized as the Self within oneself—directly and repeatedly—revealed as self-luminous and identical with Brahman-bliss (brahmānanda).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The emphasis is on contemplative inner vision (dhyāna and nididhyāsana): steady sages repeatedly verify realization through direct experience (anubhava), culminating in clear perception of Īśvara as the inner Self.

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

By describing one Supreme Īśa as the inner Self and Brahman-bliss, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the ultimate Lord is one reality approached through Shaiva (Īśa/Pāśupata) and Vaishnava (Bhagavān/Kūrma) idioms.