Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 15

Īśvara-gītā: Antaryāmin, Kāla, and the Divine Ordinance Governing Creation, Preservation, and Pralaya

Devanagari script

यो ऽन्तकः सर्वभूतानां रुद्रः कालात्मकः प्रभुः / मदाज्ञयासौ सततं संहरिष्यति मे तनुः

Transliteration

yo 'ntakaḥ sarvabhūtānāṃ rudraḥ kālātmakaḥ prabhuḥ / madājñayāsau satataṃ saṃhariṣyati me tanuḥ

Translation

鲁陀罗——终结一切众生者、以时间为自性之主——将依我之命，恒常收摄并融解我所显现之形。

Word by Word

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; relative pronoun

• antakaḥ: the ender (death)
• antakaḥ: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; epithet

• sarvabhūtānām: of all beings
• sarvabhūtānām: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive plural; tatpuruṣa (karmadhāraya-like determinative) = sarvāṇi bhūtāni; Masculine/Neuter genitive plural (form bhūtānām)

• rudraḥ: Rudra
• rudraḥ: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular

• kālātmakaḥ: time-natured/embodying time
• kālātmakaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kāla + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; tatpuruṣa = kālasya ātmā (having the nature of time)

• prabhuḥ: lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta/Predicate nominative (कर्ता/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular

• madājñayā: by my command
• madājñayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mad + ājñā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental/Tṛtīyā (तृतीया) singular; tatpuruṣa = mama ājñā (my command)

• asau: he/that one
• asau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: adas (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative singular; demonstrative pronoun

• satatam: always
• satatam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: satatam (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• saṃhariṣyati: will withdraw/destroy
• saṃhariṣyati: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: saṃ-hṛ (धातु)
• Form: Future/Lṛṭ (लृट्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person singular

• me: of me/my
• me: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Genitive/Ṣaṣṭhī singular (enclitic)

• tanuḥ: body/form
• tanuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative/Dvitīyā singular (object sense; form identical to nominative in some stems, but here karma)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) speaking as the Supreme Īśvara who appoints Rudra for saṃhāra

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Rudra (Śiva)
• Kāla (Time)
• Antaka (Death/Ender)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents a single supreme Īśvara whose will governs cosmic functions: even Rudra-as-Time performs dissolution by that supreme command, implying one ultimate sovereignty behind all deities and processes.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds kāla-darśana (contemplation of Time) and vairāgya: meditating on dissolution (saṃhāra) supports detachment from the body-form and steadies the mind toward the imperishable Lord taught throughout the Kūrma tradition.

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

It depicts functional unity: Rudra (Śiva) acts as the agent of dissolution while the supreme speaker (Kūrma/Viṣṇu) remains the commanding Īśvara—harmonizing Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava theologies within one non-contradictory cosmic order.