Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 41

Sūrya-vaṃśa Genealogy and the Supremacy of Tapas: Gāyatrī-Japa, Rudra-Darśana, and Śatarudrīya Upadeśa

Devanagari script

गौतम उवाच यतः प्रधानपुरुषौ यस्य शक्तिमयं जगत् / स देवदेवस्तपसा पूजनीयः सनातनः

Transliteration

gautama uvāca yataḥ pradhānapuruṣau yasya śaktimayaṃ jagat / sa devadevastapasā pūjanīyaḥ sanātanaḥ

Translation

瞿昙说：由彼而起原质（Pradhāna）与灵知（Puruṣa），其神力遍满此宇宙；彼乃诸神之神、永恒者，当以苦行（tapas）而礼敬。

Word by Word

• गौतमः: Gautama
• गौतमः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गौतम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• यतः: from whom
• यतः: Hetu (हेतु)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यतस् (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय; हेतु/अपादानार्थे (from whom/because of whom)

• प्रधानपुरुषौ: Pradhāna and Puruṣa
• प्रधानपुरुषौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान-पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (प्रधानश्च पुरुषश्च)

• यस्य: whose
• यस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• शक्तिमयम्: full of power
• शक्तिमयम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शक्ति-मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (शक्त्या मयम्/filled with power)

• जगत्: the world
• जगत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• देवदेवः: God of gods
• देवदेवः: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव-देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (देवानां देवः)

• तपसा: by austerity
• तपसा: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तपस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• पूजनीयः: worthy to be worshipped
• पूजनीयः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पूज् (धातु)
• Form: अनीयर्-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘पूजनीयः’ = ‘to be worshipped’

• सनातनः: eternal
• सनातनः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Gautama

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Gautama
• Devadeva
• Pradhana
• Purusha
• Shakti
• Jagat
• Tapas

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as Devadeva—the ultimate source from whom both Pradhāna (Nature) and Puruṣa (conscious principle) proceed, indicating a transcendent Lord who grounds both matter and consciousness.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Tapas is emphasized—disciplined austerity and focused spiritual effort—as a primary mode of worship, aligning with the Kurma Purana’s stress on inner purification and sustained practice as foundations for higher realization.

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

By using the title “Devadeva” for the supreme source of both Pradhāna and Puruṣa, the verse supports the Purana’s synthesizing approach: the highest Lord can be praised in Shaiva terms while remaining compatible with Vaishnava supremacy, pointing to one ultimate reality revered through different names.