Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 16

Īśvara-gītā: Antaryāmin, Kāla, and the Divine Ordinance Governing Creation, Preservation, and Pralaya

Devanagari script

हव्यं वहति देवानां कव्यं कव्याशिनामपि / पाकं च कुरुते वह्निः सो ऽपि मच्छक्तिचोदितः

Transliteration

havyaṃ vahati devānāṃ kavyaṃ kavyāśināmapi / pākaṃ ca kurute vahniḥ so 'pi macchakticoditaḥ

Translation

Agni mang lễ vật (havyā) dâng lên chư thiên, lại chuyển lễ cúng (kavyā) đến các bậc tổ tiên; Ngài cũng làm nên việc nấu chín—nhưng ngay cả Lửa ấy cũng chỉ được thúc đẩy bởi quyền năng của Ta.

Word by Word

• havyam: oblations (to gods)
• havyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: havya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative singular

• vahati: carries
• vahati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vah (धातु)
• Form: Present/Laṭ, Parasmaipada, 3rd person singular

• devānām: of/for the gods
• devānām: Sampradāna/Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्प्रदान/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive plural

• kavyam: funeral offering (to ancestors)
• kavyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kavya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative singular

• kavyāśinām: of the kavya-eaters (ancestors)
• kavyāśinām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kavya + āśin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive plural; tatpuruṣa = kavyaṃ aśnanti iti (those who eat/receive kavya = pitṛs)

• api: also
• api: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), additive

• pākam: cooking/ripening
• pākam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pāka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative singular

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

• kurute: does/makes
• kurute: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Present/Laṭ, Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद), 3rd person singular

• vahniḥ: fire
• vahniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular

• saḥ: he/that
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; demonstrative pronoun

• api: also
• api: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• macchakticoditaḥ: impelled by my power
• macchakticoditaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of vahniḥ/saḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mat + śakti + codita (प्रातिपदिक; क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; past passive participle (कृदन्त, क्त) from √cud (चुद्/चोद् प्रेरणे) with prefix; tatpuruṣa: mat-śakti (my power) + codita (impelled)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the interlocutors (Indradyumna and/or the assembled sages) on divine agency behind ritual and cosmic functions

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Agni (Vahni)
• Devas
• Pitrs (Kavyashins)
• Lord Kurma (Vishnu)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It teaches that even powerful cosmic functions—like Agni’s carrying of offerings and transforming food—operate through the Supreme Lord’s śakti, implying the indwelling Self as the ultimate enabler behind all action.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to īśvara-kartṛtva-buddhi (seeing the Lord as the true agent), a foundational contemplative stance supporting Pāśupata-style devotion and yogic discipline: perform karma (yajña, śrāddha, daily rites) while inwardly attributing efficacy to the Lord’s power.

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

By grounding ritual efficacy in the one Supreme śakti, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: whether worship is framed in Śaiva or Vaiṣṇava terms, the single Lord’s power is the operative reality behind devas, pitṛs, and cosmic forces like Agni.