Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 28

Rudra’s Cosmic Dance and the Recognition of Rudra–Nārāyaṇa Unity (Īśvara-gītā Continuation)

Devanagari script

पश्यामस्त्वां परमाकाशमध्ये नृत्यन्तं ते महिमानं स्मरामः / सर्वात्मानं बहुधा सन्निविष्टं ब्रह्मानन्दमनुभूयानुभूय

Transliteration

paśyāmastvāṃ paramākāśamadhye nṛtyantaṃ te mahimānaṃ smarāmaḥ / sarvātmānaṃ bahudhā sanniviṣṭaṃ brahmānandamanubhūyānubhūya

Translation

Chúng con thấy Ngài trong bầu trời tối thượng nơi nội tâm, nơi vinh quang của Ngài như đang “múa”; và chúng con quán niệm điều ấy hết lần này đến lần khác. Ngài là Tự Ngã của muôn loài, hiện diện trong mọi hữu tình theo nhiều cách—hết lần này đến lần khác, chúng con thể nghiệm hỷ lạc Brahman.

Word by Word

• paśyāmaḥ: we see
• paśyāmaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paś (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)

• tvām: you
• tvām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• parama: supreme
• parama: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; adjective qualifying ākāśa (in compound)

• ākāśamadhye: in the midst of space
• ākāśamadhye: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक) + madhya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष): ākāśa-madhya ‘middle of the sky/space’; Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• nṛtyantam: dancing
• nṛtyantam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nṛt (धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (शतृ), Accusative, Singular; qualifies tvām

• te: your
• te: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular (enclitic)

• mahimānam: greatness, glory
• mahimānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahimān (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• smarāmaḥ: we remember
• smarāmaḥ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 1st person, Plural

• sarvātmānam: the self of all
• sarvātmānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Karmadhāraya (कर्मधारय): sarva-ātmā ‘the Self of all’; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; apposition to tvām

• bahudhā: in many ways
• bahudhā: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahudhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• sanniviṣṭam: entered, established
• sanniviṣṭam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sam-ni-viś (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Accusative, Singular; qualifies tvām/sarvātmānam

• brahmānandam: Brahman-bliss
• brahmānandam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + ānanda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष): brahma-ānanda ‘bliss of Brahman’; Masculine, Accusative, Singular; apposition to tvām

• anubhūya: having experienced
• anubhūya: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anu-bhū (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त, here -ya), indeclinable; first of repetition

• anubhūya: again and again experiencing
• anubhūya: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: anu-bhū (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा), indeclinable; repetition for intensity

Speaker

Sages/devotees addressing the Supreme Lord (Hari as Īśvara), in a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis typical of the Kūrma Purāṇa

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Paramākāśa
• Ātman
• Brahman
• Īśvara

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It declares the Lord as sarvātmā—one universal Self—who is ‘entered’ and present in manifold forms within all beings, implying non-dual presence behind diversity.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes dhyāna and smṛti (recollection/continual contemplation): repeatedly ‘seeing’ the Lord in the paramākāśa (inner space of consciousness) and repeatedly realizing brahmānanda—an experiential, meditative absorption aligned with Pāśupata-oriented devotion and jñāna.

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

By focusing on Īśvara as the all-pervading Brahman whose glory ‘dances’ (a Śaiva resonance) while being addressed as the supreme divine Self (a Vaiṣṇava resonance), it supports the Purāṇa’s non-sectarian, unity-of-Īśvara approach.