Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 4
Īśvara-gītā: Vibhūtis of the Supreme Lord and the Paśu–Paśupati Doctrine of Bondage and Release
योगिनामस्म्यहं शंभुः स्त्रीणां देवी गिरीन्द्रजा / आदित्यानामहं विष्णुर्वसूनामस्मि पावकः
yogināmasmyahaṃ śaṃbhuḥ strīṇāṃ devī girīndrajā / ādityānāmahaṃ viṣṇurvasūnāmasmi pāvakaḥ
在诸瑜伽行者中，我是商婆（Śambhu，湿婆）；在诸女子中，我是女神吉林陀罗迦（Girīndrajā，帕尔瓦蒂）。在阿底提耶众中，我是毗湿奴；在婆苏众中，我是帕婆迦（Pāvaka，阿耆尼），净化之火。
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) speaking as the Supreme, teaching divine identifications
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It presents the Supreme as the inner essence and highest exemplar within every class of beings—revealing a single Ishvara who appears as Śiva, Viṣṇu, Devī, and Agni according to function, thereby implying one underlying Self behind many forms.
By naming Śambhu as ‘the foremost among yogins,’ the verse points to Śiva as the archetype of yogic mastery—suggesting meditation on Ishvara as the supreme yogin and contemplation of one divinity manifesting through multiple powers (śakti) as a stabilizing practice for devotion and concentration.
It treats Śiva and Viṣṇu as supreme manifestations within their respective divine orders, supporting the Kurma Purana’s reconciliatory stance: one Ishvara is praised through both Shaiva and Vaishnava names without contradiction.