Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 45

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

Devanagari script

भोग्या विश्वेश्वरी देवी महेश्वरपतिव्रता / प्रोच्यते भगवान् भोक्ता कपर्दे नीललोहितः

Transliteration

bhogyā viśveśvarī devī maheśvarapativratā / procyate bhagavān bhoktā kaparde nīlalohitaḥ

Translation

女神——毗湿维湿瓦丽（Viśveśvarī），以大自在天（Maheśvara）为夫主而守贞奉爱——被宣称为“所享受者”（bhogyā）；而世尊——披发结髻者（Kapardin）、青赤相的尼罗罗希多（Nīlalohita）——被宣称为“能享受者”（bhoktā）。

Word by Word

• भोग्या: enjoyable; to be experienced
• भोग्या: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √bhuj + ya (धातु; कृदन्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; यत्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive): भोग्या = to be enjoyed/experienced

• विश्वेश्वरी: Viśveśvarī (Lady of the universe)
• विश्वेश्वरी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva-īśvarī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: विश्वस्य ईश्वरी (mistress of the universe)

• देवी: Goddess
• देवी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• महेश्वर-पतिव्रता: devoted to Maheśvara as her husband
• महेश्वर-पतिव्रता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: maheśvara + pati-vratā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: महेश्वरस्य पतिव्रता (devoted to Maheśvara as husband)

• प्रोच्यते: is proclaimed/called
• प्रोच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√vac (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), आत्मनेपद

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• भोक्ता: enjoyer/experiencer
• भोक्ता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhoktṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; agent noun

• कपर्दे: (in/with) matted hair; Kaparda (epithet)
• कपर्दे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaparda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7), एकवचन; epithet/locative of address-context (in/with matted hair)

• नीललोहितः: blue-and-red (epithet)
• नीललोहितः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nīla + lohita (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; कर्मधारय: नीलः च लोहितः च (blue-and-red)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing Indradyumna within the Ishvara Gita section

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shringara

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Vishveshvari Devi
• Maheshvara (Shiva)
• Kapardin
• Nilalohita

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It distinguishes the conscious ‘enjoyer’ (bhoktā)—identified with the Lord (Śiva as Īśvara)—from the ‘enjoyed’ field (bhogyā), pointing to Atman/Īśvara as the witnessing, experiencing principle rather than the experienced object.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Pāśupata-style discrimination (viveka): meditation on Īśvara as the bhoktā (pure consciousness) while regarding the manifest śakti/prakṛti as bhogyā, aiding detachment and God-centered contemplation in the Ishvara Gita framework.

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

Within the Kurma Purana’s Ishvara Gita setting, Vishnu (as Kurma) teaches Śaiva metaphysics by naming Śiva as the supreme bhoktā, reflecting the text’s non-sectarian synthesis where Shiva and Vishnu are presented as harmonized expressions of the one Īśvara.