Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 31

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

Devanagari script

तत्र सर्वमिदं प्रोतमोतं चैवाखिलं जगत् / स कालो ऽग्निर्हरो रुद्रो गीयते वेदवादिभिः

Transliteration

tatra sarvamidaṃ protamotaṃ caivākhilaṃ jagat / sa kālo 'gnirharo rudro gīyate vedavādibhiḥ

Translation

在祂之中，这整个宇宙被织就并交织——确然是一切诸界。那同一位独一者，被阐释吠陀者赞颂为时间、为火、为哈罗（Hara）、为鲁陀罗（Rudra）。

Word by Word

• तत्र: there; in that (principle)
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative setting)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), देशवाचक अव्यय (locative adverb)

• सर्वम्: all
• सर्वम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• प्रोतम्: woven; strung
• प्रोतम्: कर्मणि-विशेषण (Adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र + वे (धातु) > प्रोत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; PPP of √वे/वय् ‘to weave, string’ with prefix प्र-

• ओतम्: interwoven
• ओतम्: कर्मणि-विशेषण (Adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वे (धातु) > ओत (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; PPP ‘woven/warped’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Coordination)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारणार्थक अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• अखिलम्: entire
• अखिलम्: कर्मणि-विशेषण (Adjectival to object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अखिल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जगत्: world; universe
• जगत्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (neuter), प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन (singular)

• सः: he; that (one)
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (singular)

• कालः: Time
• कालः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अग्निः: fire; Agni
• अग्निः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हरः: Hara (Śiva)
• हरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रुद्रः: Rudra
• रुद्रः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• गीयते: is sung; is praised
• गीयते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गै (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular)

• वेदवादिभिः: by the expounders of the Veda
• वेदवादिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद-वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (Tatpuruṣa): वेदस्य वादी ‘speaker of the Veda’; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया (Instrumental), बहुवचन (plural)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna (Ishvara Gita context)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Time (Kala)
• Agni
• Hara (Shiva)
• Rudra
• Veda

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as the all-pervading substratum in which the cosmos is “woven,” indicating an immanent Lord who contains and supports all names and forms while remaining the single underlying reality.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Ishvara-upasana central to Pashupata-oriented teaching: meditation on the one Lord through multiple sacred epithets (Kala, Agni, Hara, Rudra), training the mind to see one Supreme principle behind diverse functions of creation, maintenance, and dissolution.

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

By identifying the one Supreme (spoken by Kurma/Vishnu) with Hara and Rudra (Shiva), it affirms a synthesizing, non-sectarian theology where Shiva-names denote the same ultimate Ishvara praised in the Veda.