Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 128

Devī-tattva, Śakti–Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla–Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction

Devanagari script

इज्या पूज्या जगद्धात्री दुर्विज्ञेया सुरूपिणी / गुहाम्बिका गुणोत्पत्तिर्महापीठा मरुत्सुता

Transliteration

ijyā pūjyā jagaddhātrī durvijñeyā surūpiṇī / guhāmbikā guṇotpattirmahāpīṭhā marutsutā

Translation

她是祭祀（yajña）中当受供奉者，亦是信爱（bhakti）中当受礼敬者；她护持世界，难以尽知，而形相圆满。她是古诃母（Guhāmbikā），隐秘奥义之母；诸德性（guṇa）之所从生；摩诃毗吒（Mahāpīṭhā）——大威力之座；亦是风神众（Marut）之女。

Word by Word

• इज्या: worship; sacrifice
• इज्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इज्या (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पूज्या: worthy of worship
• पूज्या: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज्य (पूज् धातु (धातु) + यत्/ण्यत् कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (gerundive: ‘to be worshipped’)

• जगद्धात्री: supporter of the world
• जगद्धात्री: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + धात्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• दुर्विज्ञेया: hard to be known
• दुर्विज्ञेया: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर् + विज्ञेय (विद् धातु (धातु) + ण्यत् कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कृदन्त-विशेषण (gerundive)

• सुरूपिणी: beautiful-formed; of good appearance
• सुरूपिणी: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सु + रूपिणी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• गुहाम्बिका: Ambikā of the cave; Guhāmbikā
• गुहाम्बिका: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुहा + अम्बिका (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गुणोत्पत्तिः: origin of qualities
• गुणोत्पत्तिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुण + उत्पत्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महापीठा: great seat; great sacred seat
• महापीठा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + पीठा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मरुत्सुता: daughter of the Maruts
• मरुत्सुता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मरुत् + सुता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing King Indradyumna within the Īśvara-gītā section

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ambikā (Goddess/Śakti)
• Guṇas (sattva-rajas-tamas)
• Maruts

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling the Goddess “difficult to be known” yet the world’s sustainer and the source of the guṇas, the verse points to the transcendent Reality that is beyond conceptual grasp while also functioning as the immanent power through which embodied experience (guṇa-based prakṛti) operates.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports a Pāśupata-style contemplative approach: meditate on Śakti as both hidden (guhā) and all-supporting, then discriminate the guṇas as her manifested field—using devotion (pūjā), inner worship (ijyā as internalized ritual), and guṇa-viveka to steady the mind toward Īśvara.

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

Spoken in the Īśvara-gītā setting by Lord Kūrma, it presents Śakti as the shared divine ground of worship and cosmic function—harmonizing Vaiṣṇava narration with Śaiva-Śākta metaphysics, where one Supreme is approached through complementary forms and powers.