Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 39

Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching

Iśvara-Gītā Prelude

Devanagari script

चतुर्भुजा शङ्खचक्रपद्महस्ता शुभान्विता / कोटिसूर्यप्रतीकाशा मोहिनी सर्वदेहिनाम्

Transliteration

caturbhujā śaṅkhacakrapadmahastā śubhānvitā / koṭisūryapratīkāśā mohinī sarvadehinām

Translation

她具四臂，手持海螺、神轮与莲华，具足吉祥；光辉如千万日轮——她即摩希尼（Mohinī），迷醉一切有身众生者。

Word by Word

• चतुर्भुजा: four-armed
• चतुर्भुजा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: catur + bhuja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण

• शङ्खचक्रपद्महस्ता: whose hands hold conch, discus, and lotus
• शङ्खचक्रपद्महस्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śaṅkha + cakra + padma + hasta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); बहुव्रीहि—‘शङ्ख-चक्र-पद्म-हस्ताः यस्याः सा’

• शुभान्विता: endowed with auspiciousness
• शुभान्विता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śubha + anvita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण

• कोटिसूर्यप्रतीकाशा: shining like ten million suns
• कोटिसूर्यप्रतीकाशा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: koṭi + sūrya + pratīkāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.); विशेषण

• मोहिनी: enchantress, deluder
• मोहिनी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mohinī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (f.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nom.), एकवचन (sg.)

• सर्वदेहिनाम्: of all embodied beings
• सर्वदेहिनाम्: Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + dehin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (m.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Gen.), बहुवचन (pl.)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing the divine form within the Kurma Purana’s opening narrative frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Mohinī
• Śaṅkha (conch)
• Cakra (discus)
• Padma (lotus)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By portraying Mohinī as overwhelmingly radiant and universally captivating, the verse points to the Lord’s māyā-śakti: the Supreme remains unchanged, yet projects forms that enthrall embodied minds—indicating that bondage arises at the level of embodied perception, not in the Atman itself.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse implicitly supports pratyāhāra and viveka: since even divine beauty can enchant “all embodied beings,” the sādhaka is urged (as the Kurma Purana later emphasizes in its yoga-teachings) to restrain the senses and discern the eternal Self beyond appearances.

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

By emphasizing a cosmic, all-subduing śakti (māyā) operating through a divine form, the verse aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthetic vision: supreme lordship is one reality expressed through different divine modalities—supporting the Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava harmonization.