Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 185

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

Devanagari script

हिरण्या राजती हैमी हेमाभरणभूषिता / विभ्राजमाना दुर्ज्ञेया ज्योतिष्टोमफलप्रदा

Transliteration

hiraṇyā rājatī haimī hemābharaṇabhūṣitā / vibhrājamānā durjñeyā jyotiṣṭomaphalapradā

Translation

她显现为金与银，仿佛以黄金铸成，并以金饰庄严。她光辉灿然而难以测知；她赐予“光明赞祭”（Jyotiṣṭoma）之果报。

Word by Word

• hiraṇyā: golden
• hiraṇyā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hiraṇya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘golden’ (fem.)

• rājatī: shining
• rājatī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rājatī (प्रातिपदिक, from √rāj ‘to shine’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘shining’ (as adjective)

• haimī: golden; of gold
• haimī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: haimī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘made of gold’

• hema-ābharaṇa-bhūṣitā: adorned with golden ornaments
• hema-ābharaṇa-bhūṣitā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hema (प्रातिपदिक) + ābharaṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūṣitā (कृदन्त, √bhūṣ)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: ‘हेमाभरणैः भूषिता’ (adorned with golden ornaments)

• vibhrājamānā: radiantly shining
• vibhrājamānā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi- (उपसर्ग) + √bhrāj (धातु) → vibhrājamāna (कृदन्त, शतृ/वर्तमानकाले)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वर्तमान कृदन्त (present participle, शतृ-प्रत्यय): ‘विशेषेण भ्राजमाना’

• durjñeyā: hard to know
• durjñeyā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur- (उपसर्ग) + jñeya (कृदन्त, √jñā; gerundive)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तव्य/यत्-अर्थक कृदन्त (gerundive): ‘दुर्ज्ञेया’ = hard to be known

• jyotiṣṭoma-phala-pradā: giver of the fruit of the Jyotiṣṭoma sacrifice
• jyotiṣṭoma-phala-pradā: Karta (कर्ता/Subject—epithet)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jyotiṣṭoma (प्रातिपदिक) + phala (प्रातिपदिक) + pradā (प्रातिपदिक, from √dā ‘to give’)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘ज्योतिष्टोमस्य फलप्रदा’ (giver of the fruit of Jyotiṣṭoma)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Jyotiṣṭoma
• Soma-yajña
• Vedic sacrifice (Yajña)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By describing a radiant yet “hard to know” principle that dispenses results, the verse points to the subtle governance behind karma-phala; the Atman/Ishvara is not grasped by mere appearance, even when merit manifests as splendor.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes discernment (viveka) regarding karma and its fruits: yogic practice in the Ishvara Gita context involves seeing beyond luminous results (merit, prosperity) to the subtler reality that administers them, supporting detachment (vairagya) and inward contemplation.

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

Within the Ishvara Gita’s synthesis, the same supreme Lord—revered as Vishnu in the Kurma form and harmonized with Shaiva insight—oversees sacrificial merit and its fruits, showing one divine governance behind Vedic ritual and yogic realization.