Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 99

Daily Duties of Brāhmaṇas: Snāna, Sandhyā, Sūrya-hṛdaya, Japa, Tarpaṇa, and the Pañca-mahāyajñas

Devanagari script

नमस्कुर्यान्महादेवं ऋतं सत्यमितिश्वरम् / निवेदयीत स्वात्मानं यो ब्रह्माणमितीश्वरम्

Transliteration

namaskuryānmahādevaṃ ṛtaṃ satyamitiśvaram / nivedayīta svātmānaṃ yo brahmāṇamitīśvaram

Translation

当礼拜摩诃提婆（Mahādeva）——那被宣说为“梨多”（Ṛta，宇宙秩序）与“萨提亚”（Satya，真理）的主宰；并且，奉献者应将自身奉上，了知主即是梵（Brahman）。

Word by Word

• नमस्कुर्यात्: should salute
• नमस्कुर्यात्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नमस्-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative); प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; धातु: कृ (करोति) उपपद-समास/नामधातु-प्रयोग 'नमस्कृ' (to salute)

• महादेवम्: Mahādeva
• महादेवम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक; महा + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• ऋतम्: cosmic order / truth
• ऋतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणवत् (appositional epithet to īśvaram)

• सत्यम्: truth
• सत्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणवत् (appositional epithet)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उक्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक (thus)

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• निवेदयीत: should offer/dedicate
• निवेदयीत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√विद् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद; प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन (3rd sg. optative)

• स्वात्मानम्: one's own self
• स्वात्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; स्व + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन (relative pronoun: who)

• ब्रह्माणम्: Brahmā / Brahman
• ब्रह्माणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उक्ति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उद्धरण/समाप्तिसूचक (thus)

• ईश्वरम्: the Lord
• ईश्वरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (accusative singular)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Mahadeva
• Ishvara
• Brahman
• Rta
• Satya

FAQs

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

It teaches that the highest recognition is to know Īśvara as Brahman itself, and to offer one’s svātman (the sense of ‘I’ and personal individuality) into that supreme reality through surrender.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to devotional discipline central to Pāśupata-leaning practice: namaskāra (reverent salutation) and ātma-nivedana (total self-offering), which function as inner renunciation and concentration on Īśvara as the sole truth.

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

By presenting worship of Mahādeva while affirming Īśvara as Brahman, the Kurma Purana frames sectarian forms as expressions of one supreme reality—supporting a non-dual, Shiva–Vishnu unity in devotion and metaphysics.