Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 58

Naimittika-pralaya and the Theology of Kāla: Seven Suns, Saṃvartaka Fire, Flood, and Varāha Kalpa

Devanagari script

क्षेत्रज्ञः प्रकृतिः कालो जगद्बीजमथामृतम् / माता पिता महादेवो मत्तो ह्यन्यन्न विद्यते

Transliteration

kṣetrajñaḥ prakṛtiḥ kālo jagadbījamathāmṛtam / mātā pitā mahādevo matto hyanyanna vidyate

Translation

我即是刹帝罗阇那（Kṣetrajña），知田者；我即是普拉克里蒂（Prakṛti）与时间（Kāla）。我是一切世界之种子，亦是甘露（Amṛta）不死。我是母，也是父；我是大自在天（Mahādeva）。离我之外，别无他物存在。

Word by Word

• क्षेत्रज्ञः: knower of the field
• क्षेत्रज्ञः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षेत्र + ज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (क्षेत्रस्य ज्ञः = knower of the field)

• प्रकृतिः: Prakriti (nature)
• प्रकृतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रकृति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेष्य-नाम

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• जगद्बीजम्: seed of the world
• जगद्बीजम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् + बीज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nom/Acc), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (जगतः बीजम् = seed of the world)

• अथ: and
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अनुक्रमार्थक (and/then)

• अमृतम्: immortality/nectar
• अमृतम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• माता: mother
• माता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पिता: father
• पिता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महादेवः: Mahadeva (the great god)
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् देवः)

• मत्तः: from me
• मत्तः: Apadana (अपादान/Ablative-source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; अपादान (from me)

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle: indeed)

• अन्यत्: anything else
• अन्यत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifying implicit 'something')

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negator)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation)

• विद्यते: exists
• विद्यते: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; भावे/सत्तायाम् (exists)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) speaking in the Ishvara-Gita voice of the Supreme Ishvara

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kṣetrajña
• Prakṛti
• Kāla
• Mahādeva
• Amṛta

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the Supreme as the kṣetrajña (inner witness-consciousness) and simultaneously as the cosmic principles (Prakṛti and Time), concluding with a non-dual claim: there is no reality apart from that one Ishvara.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Ishvara-centric meditation: contemplating the Lord as the inner knower (kṣetrajña) and as the regulator of nature and time. This aligns with Pāśupata-oriented devotion and absorption where the yogin dissolves duality by fixing awareness on the single Supreme source.

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

By declaring “I am Mahādeva,” the speaker (Kurma/Vishnu as Ishvara) presents Śiva-tattva and Viṣṇu-tattva as one Supreme reality, a hallmark of the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis.