Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 43

Yati-Āśrama: Bhikṣā-vidhi, Īśvara-dhyāna, and Prāyaścitta

Mahādeva as Non-dual Brahman

Devanagari script

एकमेव परं ब्रह्म विज्ञेयं तत्त्वमव्ययम् / स देवस्तु महादेवो नैतद् विज्ञाय बध्यते

Transliteration

ekameva paraṃ brahma vijñeyaṃ tattvamavyayam / sa devastu mahādevo naitad vijñāya badhyate

Translation

唯有至上的梵（Brahman）是一者，应当证知——不坏的真实。那位天神本身即是大天（Mahādeva）；不知此义，众生仍被系缚。

Word by Word

• एकम्: one (single)
• एकम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; अवधानार्थक (emphatic)

• परम्: supreme
• परम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• ब्रह्म: Brahman (Absolute)
• ब्रह्म: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• विज्ञेयम्: to be known/knowable
• विज्ञेयम्: Karya (कार्य/विधेय)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि√ज्ञा (धातु) + य (कृत्, भाव्य/कर्तव्य)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विधेय-विशेषण (predicate adjective)

• तत्त्वम्: reality/principle
• तत्त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• अव्ययम्: imperishable/unchanging
• अव्ययम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

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

• देवः: god
• देवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (the Great God, Śiva)
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (उपसर्ग/पूर्वपद) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेध-निपात (negative particle)

• एतत्: this
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• विज्ञाय: having known
• विज्ञाय: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वि√ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्यय; पूर्वक्रिया (prior action)

• बध्यते: is bound
• बध्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बन्ध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages/seekers in a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Mahadeva (Shiva)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the ultimate reality as the one, imperishable Brahman that must be directly realized; liberation depends on this knowledge rather than on merely external identity or ritual.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes jñāna as the liberating core of sādhanā—steady contemplation and realization of the one Brahman—aligning with the Kurma Purana’s yogic stress on inner discernment that culminates in freedom from bondage.

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

By declaring the Supreme Brahman to be Mahādeva, it presents a unitive theology where sectarian boundaries dissolve in the highest truth—consistent with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis.