Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 8

Īśvara-gītā: Bhakti as the Supreme Means; the Three Śaktis; Non-compelled Lordship

Devanagari script

अहं हि सर्वहविषां भोक्ता चैव फलप्रदः / सर्वदेवतनुर्भूत्वा सर्वात्मा सर्वसंस्थितः

Transliteration

ahaṃ hi sarvahaviṣāṃ bhoktā caiva phalapradaḥ / sarvadevatanurbhūtvā sarvātmā sarvasaṃsthitaḥ

Translation

唯我独为一切供献之享受者，亦为其果报之赐予者。化作诸神之身，我为一切众生之我（真我），并安立于万有之中。

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात-अव्यय (emphatic particle)

• sarva-haviṣām: of all oblations
• sarva-haviṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive relation to bhoktā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + havis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (sarveṣāṃ haviṣām)

• bhoktā: enjoyer/consumer
• bhoktā: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative of aham)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhoktṛ (कृदन्त; √bhuj/भुज्)
• Form: कृदन्त-नाम (agent noun), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• eva: certainly/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारण-अव्यय (restrictive particle)

• phala-pradaḥ: giver of results
• phala-pradaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative of aham)
• Type: Noun
• Root: phala (प्रातिपदिक) + prada (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक; √dā/दा)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुषः (phalāni pradāti)

• sarva-devatā-tanuḥ: having the bodies/forms of all deities
• sarva-devatā-tanuḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative of aham, implied)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + devatā (प्रातिपदिक) + tanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (tanu-शब्दः), प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (sarvāṇāṃ devatānāṃ tanuḥ)

• bhūtvā: having become
• bhūtvā: Kriyā (क्रिया; पूर्वकालिक)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund/absolutive), ‘having become’

• sarva-ātmā: the Self of all
• sarva-ātmā: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहिः (sarvaḥ ātmā yasya = whose self is all / who is the self of all)

• sarva-saṃsthitaḥ: present/established everywhere
• sarva-saṃsthitaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; predicate nominative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + saṃsthita (कृदन्त; √sthā/स्था)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण; तत्पुरुषः (sarvatra saṃsthitaḥ = established everywhere)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu as the Supreme Ishvara)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ishvara
• Devas
• Havis (oblations)
• Atman

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme as sarvātmā—the inner Self of all beings—present in and established within everything, not limited to a single deity-form.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports īśvara-cintana (contemplation of the Lord as the indwelling Self) and ekatva-bhāvanā (non-dual contemplation), which underpin the Kurma Purana’s yoga-oriented devotion where inner realization complements ritual.

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

By declaring the Supreme as the very body of all deities and the Self in all, it frames sectarian forms—whether Shiva or Vishnu—as expressions of one Ishvara, aligning with the Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis.