Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 52

Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

Devanagari script

अव्यक्तात्मकमेवेदं चेतनाचेतनं जगत् / तदीश्वरः परं ब्रह्म तस्माद् ब्रह्ममयं जगत्

Transliteration

avyaktātmakamevedaṃ cetanācetanaṃ jagat / tadīśvaraḥ paraṃ brahma tasmād brahmamayaṃ jagat

Translation

Toàn thể vũ trụ này—gồm cả hữu tình và vô tình—lấy Vô Hiển (avyakta) làm tự thể. Đấng Chủ Tể của nó là Brahman Tối Thượng; vì thế thế gian thấm nhuần Brahman và được cấu thành bởi Brahman.

Word by Word

• avyakta-ātmakam: of unmanifest nature
• avyakta-ātmakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyakta (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (having the nature of the unmanifest)

• eva: indeed
• eva: Emphasis (अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण-निपात

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• cetanā-acetanam: sentient and insentient
• cetanā-acetanam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cetanā (प्रातिपदिक) + acetana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; द्वन्द्व (sentient and insentient)

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

• tad-īśvaraḥ: its Lord
• tad-īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (its lord)

• param: supreme
• param: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• brahma: Brahman
• brahma: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tasmāt: therefore/from that
• tasmāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् (ablative used as indeclinable connective); पञ्चमी-अर्थे (from that/therefore)

• brahma-mayam: made of Brahman
• brahma-mayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + mayaṭ (मयट्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष/तद्धितान्त (ब्रह्ममय = consisting of Brahman)

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

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching a Brahman-centered doctrine in the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Ishvara
• Avyakta

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents ultimate reality as Supreme Brahman—the Lord of the whole cosmos—and implies that the Self is not separate from Brahman, since the entire world is described as brahma-maya (Brahman-pervaded).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports contemplative Yoga that meditates on the unmanifest ground (avyakta) and recognizes Ishvara/Brahman as the inner ruler of both mind (cetanā) and matter (acetanā), leading toward non-dual insight rather than ritual-only religiosity.

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

By centering the teaching on one Supreme Ishvara who is Brahman and pervades all, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: Shiva-Vishnu distinctions are subordinate to the single Brahman/Ishvara reality taught as the source and substance of the universe.