Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 38

Manvantaras, Indras, Saptarṣis, and the Seven Sustaining Manifestations; Vyāsa as Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

एकांशेन जगत् सर्वं व्याप्य नारायणः स्थितः / चतुर्धा संस्थितो व्यापी सगुणो निर्गुणो ऽपि च

Transliteration

ekāṃśena jagat sarvaṃ vyāpya nārāyaṇaḥ sthitaḥ / caturdhā saṃsthito vyāpī saguṇo nirguṇo 'pi ca

Translation

Nārāyaṇa an trụ, chỉ bằng một phần của chính Ngài mà bao trùm toàn thể vũ trụ. Đấng thấm khắp ấy hiện hữu theo bốn phương thức—vừa hữu tướng, có thuộc tính (saguṇa), lại vừa vô tướng, không thuộc tính (nirguṇa).

Word by Word

• ekāṃśena: by/with a single portion
• ekāṃśena: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक) + aṃśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular; compound ‘with one part/portion’

• jagat: the world
• jagat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jagat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• sarvam: entire
• sarvam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies jagat

• vyāpya: having pervaded
• vyāpya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-āp (धातु) + lyap (ल्यप्) → vyāpya (कृदन्त)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्-अव्ययकृदन्त) meaning ‘having pervaded’

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• sthitaḥ: abides, stands
• sthitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sthā (धातु) + kta (क्त) → sthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; predicative ‘is stationed/abides’

• caturdhā: in four ways/fourfold
• caturdhā: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: caturdhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (प्रकारवाचक अव्यय) ‘fourfold’

• saṃsthitaḥ: is established
• saṃsthitaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-sthā (धातु) + kta (क्त) → saṃsthita (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त); Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘is established’

• vyāpī: all-pervading
• vyāpī: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-āp (धातु) + in (इन्) → vyāpin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective ‘all-pervading’

• saguṇaḥ: with attributes
• saguṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘with qualities’

• nirguṇaḥ: without attributes
• nirguṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nir-guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ‘without qualities’

• api: also
• api: Sambandha/Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात) ‘also/even’

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha/Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (Kurma Purana discourse context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme (Nārāyaṇa) as immanent—pervading the whole cosmos even by a mere ‘portion’—and also transcendent, expressible as both saguṇa (knowable through form and qualities) and nirguṇa (beyond qualities).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports a yogic approach of contemplating the Lord in two complementary ways: meditation on the qualified Lord (saguṇa upāsanā) for steadiness of mind, and inquiry/absorption into the attributeless reality (nirguṇa-bhāvanā) for liberation—an approach compatible with Kurma Purana’s synthesis of devotion and yogic knowledge.

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

By emphasizing one Supreme reality that is both manifest and unmanifest, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: sectarian forms are valid expressions of the same all-pervading Absolute, enabling Shaiva–Vaishnava harmony at the level of tattva (principle).