Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22

Sapta-dvīpa Cosmography and the Vision of Śvetadvīpa–Vaikuṇṭha

Devanagari script

अन्याश्च शतशोविप्रा नद्यो मणिजलाः शुभाः / तासु ब्रह्माणमीशानं देवाद्याः पर्युपासते

Transliteration

anyāśca śataśoviprā nadyo maṇijalāḥ śubhāḥ / tāsu brahmāṇamīśānaṃ devādyāḥ paryupāsate

Translation

又啊，婆罗门们，还有成百上千条吉祥之河，其水如宝珠般闪耀；在那些水中，诸天之首礼敬供奉伊舍那（Īśāna）——亦即梵天（Brahmā）的主宰。

Word by Word

• अन्याः: other
• अन्याः: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative Plural; विशेषण to ‘नद्यः’

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — conjunction

• शतशः: by hundreds
• शतशः: सम्बन्ध (adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: शतशः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय — परिमाणवाचक adverb (‘by hundreds/in hundreds’)

• विप्राः: O brāhmaṇas
• विप्राः: सम्बोधन (सम्बोधन/Vocative sense)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative Plural; here used as संबोधन/epithet to listener (O brāhmaṇas)

• नद्यः: rivers
• नद्यः: कर्ता (subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नदी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative Plural

• मणिजलाः: with gem(-like) waters
• मणिजलाः: विशेषण (qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मणि + जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative Plural; तत्पुरुष (‘gem-like water’/‘having gem(-like) water’), विशेषण to ‘नद्यः’

• शुभाः: auspicious
• शुभाः: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative Plural; विशेषण to ‘नद्यः’

• तासु: in them (in those rivers)
• तासु: अधिकरण (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन — Locative Plural

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā
• ब्रह्माणम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object of worship)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative Singular

• ईशानम्: Īśāna (the Lord)
• ईशानम्: कर्म (कर्म/Object; appositive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन — Accusative Singular; apposition to ‘ब्रह्माणम्’

• देव: gods
• देव: कर्ता (subject; within compound)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative Plural; in compound with ‘आद्याः’

• आद्याः: and others (beginning with them)
• आद्याः: कर्ता (subject; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन — Nominative Plural; ‘and others/starting with’

• पर्युपासते: worship/attend upon
• पर्युपासते: क्रिया (मुख्यक्रिया/Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: परि + उप + आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन — Present 3rd Plural; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic discourse to the assembled Brahmins/sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Īśāna (Śiva)
• Devas
• Sacred Rivers (Nadīs/Tīrthas)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Lord as Īśāna who is also identified with Brahmā, implying a single supreme sovereignty manifesting through multiple divine functions—an integrative, non-sectarian vision of the one Ishvara.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes tīrtha-upāsanā—reverential worship at sacred rivers—supporting purification (śuddhi) and steadiness of mind, which traditional Yoga-shāstra treats as conducive to dhyāna and devotion to Ishvara.

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

By foregrounding Īśāna as the supreme Lord and simultaneously linking him with Brahmā, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis where divine names and functions are harmonized under one Ishvara, avoiding rigid sectarian separation.