Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 147

Devī-tattva, Śakti–Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla–Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction

Devanagari script

पोषणी परमैश्वर्यभूतिदा भूतिभूषणा / पञ्चब्रह्मसमुत्पत्तिः परमार्थार्थविग्रहा

Transliteration

poṣaṇī paramaiśvaryabhūtidā bhūtibhūṣaṇā / pañcabrahmasamutpattiḥ paramārthārthavigrahā

Translation

Ngài là Đấng Nuôi Dưỡng; Đấng ban phú quý tối thượng của quyền năng Chúa Tể, và chính là vẻ trang nghiêm của mọi phú quý. Từ Ngài hiển lộ Ngũ Phạm (Pañca-Brahman); Ngài là thân hiện của Chân Lý tối thượng và ý nghĩa cứu cánh.

Word by Word

• पोषणी: nourisher
• पोषणी: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पोषणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• परम-ऐश्वर्य-भूति-दा: giver of supreme sovereignty and prosperity
• परम-ऐश्वर्य-भूति-दा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ऐश्वर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + भूति (प्रातिपदिक) + दा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘परम’(supreme) ‘ऐश्वर्य’(lordly power) ‘भूति’(prosperity) ‘दा’(giver)

• भूति-भूषणा: adorned with prosperity; ornament of prosperity
• भूति-भूषणा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भूति (प्रातिपदिक) + भूषण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘भूत्याः भूषणम्’ (ornament of prosperity / adorned with prosperity)

• पञ्च-ब्रह्म-समुत्पत्तिः: origin/manifestation of the five Brahmas
• पञ्च-ब्रह्म-समुत्पत्तिः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + समुत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘पञ्चब्रह्मणः समुत्पत्तिः’ (origin/manifestation of the five Brahmas)

• परम-अर्थ-अर्थ-विग्रहा: embodiment of the supreme meaning and purpose
• परम-अर्थ-अर्थ-विग्रहा: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + विग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; समासः (तत्पुरुष) — ‘परम’(supreme) ‘अर्थ’(meaning/goal) ‘अर्थ’(wealth/purpose) ‘विग्रह’(embodiment/form)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devi (Shakti)
• Panchabrahma
• Parama-artha (Supreme Reality)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as paramārtha itself—Truth and Meaning—taking an expressible “form” (vigrahā) as Shakti, indicating that the highest reality is both transcendent and the source of all manifested principles.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

While not prescribing a technique directly, the verse supports Pāśupata-style contemplation: meditating on the Supreme as the nourisher and source of the pañcabrahma, integrating devotion (bhakti) with metaphysical insight into the origin of cosmic functions.

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

By grounding the pañcabrahma (often expressed in Shaiva frameworks) in the same Supreme principle taught by Lord Kurma (Vishnu), it models the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: one ultimate reality expressed through Shaiva and Vaishnava languages.