Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 3

Īśvara-gītā: Bhakti as the Supreme Means; the Three Śaktis; Non-compelled Lordship

Devanagari script

अहं हि सर्वभावानामन्तस्तिष्ठामि सर्वगः / मां सर्वसाक्षिणं लोको न जानाति मुनीश्वराः

Transliteration

ahaṃ hi sarvabhāvānāmantastiṣṭhāmi sarvagaḥ / māṃ sarvasākṣiṇaṃ loko na jānāti munīśvarāḥ

Translation

Vì Ta, Đấng hiện hữu khắp nơi, ngự trong mọi trạng thái của hữu thể. Thế gian vẫn không nhận ra Ta—Đấng Chứng tri của muôn loài—hỡi các bậc chúa tể giữa hiền triết.

Word by Word

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle)

• सर्वभावानाम्: of all beings/states
• सर्वभावानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural)

• अन्तः: within
• अन्तः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अन्तः (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb) अर्थः: भीतर (within)

• तिष्ठामि: I stand / abide
• तिष्ठामि: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्था (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन (Singular)

• सर्वगः: all-pervading
• सर्वगः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्वग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• माम्: me
• माम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• सर्वसाक्षिणम्: the witness of all
• सर्वसाक्षिणम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + साक्षिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular)

• लोकः: the world/people
• लोकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन (Singular)

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• जानाति: knows
• जानाति: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular)

• मुनीश्वराः: O lords among sages
• मुनीश्वराः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुनि + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन (Plural)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu as Ishvara, teaching the Ishvara Gita)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Ishvara (Supreme Lord)
• Sages (Munis)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as the Antaryāmin—present within all beings as the Sarva-sākṣin (universal Witness)—yet unrecognized due to outward-turned perception and ignorance.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports sāksi-bhāva and inward contemplation: meditation that turns awareness within to discern the indwelling Lord beyond changing bhāvas (mental states), aligning with Kurma Purana’s yoga-oriented discipline.

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

By emphasizing one all-pervading Ishvara as the inner Witness, it leans toward the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the same Supreme reality is approached through Shaiva (Pāśupata-yoga) and Vaishnava (Nārāyaṇa/Kūrma) idioms.