Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 4

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

Devanagari script

भवद्भिरद्भुतं दृष्टं यत्स्वरूपं तु मामकम् / ममैषा ह्युपमा विप्रा मायया दर्शिता मया

Transliteration

bhavadbhiradbhutaṃ dṛṣṭaṃ yatsvarūpaṃ tu māmakam / mamaiṣā hyupamā viprā māyayā darśitā mayā

Translation

婆罗门啊，你们所见到的我那奇妙之相，不过是我本性的一种譬喻——是我亲自以我的幻力（Māyā）向你们示现的例证。

Word by Word

• भवद्भिः: by you (all)
• भवद्भिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), बहुवचन; सर्वनाम-शब्द (2nd person honorific)

• अद्भुतम्: wonderful
• अद्भुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अद्भुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (दृष्टम् इति)

• दृष्टम्: seen
• दृष्टम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मणि-प्रयोगार्थं ‘seen’

• यत्: which
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• स्वरूपम्: form/nature
• स्वरूपम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वरूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (contrast/emphasis)

• मामकम्: mine/pertaining to me
• मामकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मामक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (स्वरूपम् इति)

• मम: of me
• मम: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• एषा: this (she/this)
• एषा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हि: indeed/for
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (reason/emphasis)

• उपमा: analogy/example
• उपमा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उपमा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• विप्राः: O brahmins
• विप्राः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• मायया: by (my) māyā
• मायया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; करण (instrument)

• दर्शिता: shown
• दर्शिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) + णिच् + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘shown’ (उपमा इति)

• मया: by me
• मया: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; कर्तृ-करणार्थे

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu as the Kurma avatāra)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Vishnu
• Maya
• Vipras (Brahmin sages)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It indicates that the Lord’s “form” as perceived is an illustrative revelation, shown through Māyā; the Supreme is not exhausted by any single visible manifestation, but can disclose Itself pedagogically through divine power.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports a yogic approach of discernment (viveka) between appearance and essence: visions and experiences may arise by Īśvara’s Māyā, so the practitioner should contemplate the Lord’s underlying svarūpa rather than cling to phenomenal display.

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

By grounding revelation in Īśvara’s Māyā and svarūpa, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian theology: the one Lord can manifest in multiple modes, allowing Shaiva and Vaishnava expressions to be understood as pedagogical revelations of a single supreme reality.