Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

Brahmā’s Lotus-Birth, the Sealing of the Cosmic Womb, and the Epiphany of Parameśvara

Hari–Hara Samanvaya

Devanagari script

मयि पश्य जगत् कृत्स्नं त्वां च लोकपितामहम् / सपर्वतमहाद्वीपं समुद्रैः सप्तभिर्वृतम्

Transliteration

mayi paśya jagat kṛtsnaṃ tvāṃ ca lokapitāmaham / saparvatamahādvīpaṃ samudraiḥ saptabhirvṛtam

Translation

于我之中观见整个宇宙——亦当观见汝自身，噢，诸世界之祖父。（观）诸大洲与群山，周匝为七海所环绕。

Word by Word

• मयि: in me
• मयि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: उत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन

• पश्य: see
• पश्य: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पश् (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• जगत्: the universe
• जगत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• कृत्स्नम्: entire
• कृत्स्नम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृत्स्न (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; जगत् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• त्वाम्: you
• त्वाम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: मध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• लोकपितामहम्: the grandsire of the worlds
• लोकपितामहम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (lokānāṃ pitāmahaḥ), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; त्वाम् इत्यस्य विशेषण/अप्पोज़िशन

• स: with
• स: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपसर्गसदृश)
• Form: सह-अर्थक अव्यय (prefix-like ‘with’) समासपूर्वपदत्वेन

• पर्वत: mountains
• पर्वत: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (in compound), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• महाद्वीपम्: great continents/islands
• महाद्वीपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय (mahān dvīpaḥ), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; समासाङ्ग

• सपर्वतमहाद्वीपम्: with mountains and great continents
• सपर्वतमहाद्वीपम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + पर्वत + महाद्वीप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सह-तत्पुरुष (with mountains and great continents), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; जगत् इत्यस्य विशेषण

• समुद्रैः: by oceans
• समुद्रैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: समुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन

• सप्तभिः: by seven
• सप्तभिः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्तन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: त्रिलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), बहुवचन; समुद्रैः इत्यस्य विशेषण

• वृतम्: surrounded
• वृतम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया/प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; जगत् इत्यस्य विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu/Narayana) instructing the cosmic vision

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Narayana
• Brahma (Lokapitamaha)
• Seven Oceans (Sapta-samudra)
• Mahadvipas

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Lord as the inner ground in which the whole cosmos is contained and can be directly ‘seen’—a classic Purāṇic expression of the Supreme Self as the all-supporting reality that includes even Brahmā within its scope.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to contemplative viśvarūpa-dhyāna—meditation on the Lord as the totality of the universe—supporting one-pointed absorption (ekāgratā) where the yogin recognizes the world as resting in the Divine.

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

By declaring the Supreme as the all-containing ground of creation, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the highest reality transcends names and forms, allowing Shaiva and Vaishnava theologies to converge in the one Supreme Lord.