Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25

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

Devanagari script

सेयं करोति सकलं तस्याः कार्यमिदं जगत् / न कार्यं नापि करणमीश्वरस्येति सूरयः

Transliteration

seyaṃ karoti sakalaṃ tasyāḥ kāryamidaṃ jagat / na kāryaṃ nāpi karaṇamīśvarasyeti sūrayaḥ

Translation

Chính nàng—Thần lực—thành tựu mọi sự; toàn thể vũ trụ này là quả của nàng. Bậc hiền trí tuyên rằng Īśvara không có việc gì phải làm, cũng không cần bất cứ phương tiện nào để làm.

Word by Word

• sā: she
• sā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• iyam: this (very one)
• iyam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• karoti: does, makes
• karoti: Kriyā (क्रिया/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• sakalaṃ: all, the whole (everything)
• sakalaṃ: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sakala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; कर्मपद

• tasyāḥ: of her
• tasyāḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• kāryam: effect, product, work
• kāryam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विधेय/सम्बन्ध (predicate nominative)

• idam: this
• idam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (जगत्)

• jagat: world, universe
• jagat: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध/Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय (negation particle)

• kāryam: work/effect
• kāryam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kārya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अस्ति इति अध्याहारः)

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-अव्यय

• api: even/also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्भावना/अपि-अव्यय (particle: also/even)

• karaṇam: instrument, means
• karaṇam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: karaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अस्ति इति अध्याहारः)

• īśvarasya: of the Lord
• īśvarasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• iti: thus
• iti: Vākyārtha-marker (वाक्यार्थ-सूचक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/इति-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• sūrayaḥ: sages, wise ones
• sūrayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara
• Shakti
• Jagat

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents Īśvara as intrinsically actionless and without instruments, implying a transcendent Self beyond doership, while cosmic activity belongs to Śakti and appears as the universe.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Pāśupata-oriented contemplation on non-doership (akartṛtva): meditation discriminates between the actionless Lord and the workings of Śakti, stabilizing the yogin in witness-consciousness and devotion to Īśvara.

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

By speaking of a single Īśvara who is beyond action while Śakti manifests the cosmos, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: Shiva-Vishnu are understood through one Lordhood (Īśvaratva) with one divine power.