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Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 24

Commencement of the Upari-bhāga: The Sages Request Brahma-vidyā; Vyāsa Recalls the Badarikā Inquiry and Śiva–Viṣṇu Theophany

त्वं हि तद् वेत्थ परमं सर्वज्ञो भगवानृषिः / नारायणः स्वयं साक्षात् पुराणो ऽव्यक्तपूरुषः

tvaṃ hi tad vettha paramaṃ sarvajño bhagavānṛṣiḥ / nārāyaṇaḥ svayaṃ sākṣāt purāṇo 'vyaktapūruṣaḥ

Ngài quả thật biết Thực Tại Tối Thượng ấy, vì Ngài là bậc Thánh hiền thần linh, toàn tri. Ngài chính là Nārāyaṇa hiển hiện trực tiếp: Đấng Nguyên Sơ, Nhân Vị Vô Hiển.

tvamyou
tvam:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNominative (प्रथमा), Singular; 2nd person pronoun
hiindeed/for
hi:
Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात) giving emphasis/causal nuance
tatthat
tat:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (द्वितीया), Singular; demonstrative pronoun
vetthayou know
vettha:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vid (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular; parasmaipada; 'you know'
paramamsupreme
paramam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootparama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular; adjective qualifying tat
sarvajñaḥall-knowing
sarvajñaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsarva + jña (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; epithet in apposition to tvam/nārāyaṇaḥ
bhagavānthe Blessed One
bhagavān:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; epithet
ṛṣiḥsage
ṛṣiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootṛṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; apposition
nārāyaṇaḥNārāyaṇa
nārāyaṇaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootnārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
svayamhimself
svayam:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsvayam (अव्यय)
FormIndeclinable (अव्यय), reflexive adverb 'oneself'
sākṣātdirectly
sākṣāt:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsākṣāt (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (अव्यय) 'directly, manifestly'
purāṇaḥthe ancient one
purāṇaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpurāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; epithet 'ancient'
avyakta-pūruṣaḥthe unmanifest Person
avyakta-pūruṣaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootavyakta (प्रातिपदिक) + pūruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; कर्मधारय 'the unmanifest Person'

Sages (addressing Narayana / the divine seer in the opening dialogue)

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

N
Narayana
P
Purusha

FAQs

It identifies the Supreme as the primordial, unmanifest Puruṣa—ultimate reality beyond visible form—personally present as Nārāyaṇa, implying a transcendent Self that can also be directly realized/manifest.

No specific technique is listed in this verse; it sets the theological basis for later sādhana by affirming an omniscient, unmanifest Supreme Person who is fit to be contemplated as the highest object of meditation (īśvara-dhyāna).

While Śiva is not named here, the verse supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian framework by presenting the Supreme as the unmanifest Puruṣa personally manifest—an idea later harmonized with Śaiva Pāśupata teachings and Vaiṣṇava Nārāyaṇa devotion.