Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Cosmic Night, Nārāyaṇa as Brahmā, and the Varāha Raising of the Earth

Devanagari script

नमो ऽस्तु ते चतुर्वक्त्रे शार्ङ्गचक्रासिधारिणे / सर्वभूतात्मभूताय कूटस्थाय नमो नमः

Transliteration

namo 'stu te caturvaktre śārṅgacakrāsidhāriṇe / sarvabhūtātmabhūtāya kūṭasthāya namo namaḥ

Translation

敬礼于您，四面之尊，执持娑楞伽弓（Śārṅga）、神轮与宝剑者。我一次又一次顶礼于您——您为一切众生之内在自性，恒常不变的库塔斯塔（Kūṭastha），万有不移之基。

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे

• अस्तु: let it be
• अस्तु: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative/benedictive sense), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन

• ते: to you
• ते: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन (enclitic)

• चतुर्वक्त्रे: O four-faced one
• चतुर्वक्त्रे: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन/चतुर्थी-एकवचन रूपसाम्य (vocative/dative singular form -e); द्विगु-समासः (चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य)

• शार्ङ्गचक्रासिधारिणे: to the bearer of the Śārṅga bow, discus, and sword
• शार्ङ्गचक्रासिधारिणे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शार्ङ्ग + चक्र + असि + धारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; समाहार-तत्पुरुषप्रायः (शार्ङ्गं चक्रं असिं च धारयति)

• सर्वभूतात्मभूताय: to the one who has become the Self of all beings
• सर्वभूतात्मभूताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + भूत + आत्मन् + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वभूतानाम् आत्मा भूत्वा स्थितः)

• कूटस्थाय: to the immutable one
• कूटस्थाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूटस्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति-नमस्कारः

Speaker

A devotee/sage offering a stuti (hymn) to Lord Hari (Vishnu/Narayana) in the Kurma Purana narrative frame

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana (Vishnu)
• Śārṅga
• Sudarśana Cakra

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Lord as sarvabhūtātmabhūta—the indwelling Self of all beings—and kūṭastha, the immutable substratum that remains unchanged amid all change.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports contemplative Yoga centered on recognizing the one inner Self in all (antarātman) and meditating on the kūṭastha—steady, unshaken awareness beyond bodily and mental fluctuations.

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

By praising the Supreme as the single, unchanging Self within all, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: sectarian forms differ, but the realized principle (Ishvara/Atman) is one.