Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 16

Iśvara on Māyā, the Unmanifest, and the Viśvarūpa of the One Supreme

Devanagari script

हिरण्मये परमाकाशतत्त्वे यदर्चिषि प्रविभातीव तेजः / तद्विज्ञाने परिपश्यन्ति धीरा विभ्राजमानं विमलं व्योम धाम

Transliteration

hiraṇmaye paramākāśatattve yadarciṣi pravibhātīva tejaḥ / tadvijñāne paripaśyanti dhīrā vibhrājamānaṃ vimalaṃ vyoma dhāma

Translation

在至上虚空本原的金色光辉中，有如火焰般的光耀显现；由对彼的真实了知，智者得见内在虚空中那无垢、辉煌的光明住处。

Word by Word

• hiraṇmaye: in the golden (realm)
• hiraṇmaye: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hiraṇmaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग) or Masculine; Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन) (agreeing with tattve)

• parama-ākāśa-tattve: in the principle of the supreme ether
• parama-ākāśa-tattve: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक) + tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) (determinative chain: 'in the principle of the supreme ether/space'); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• yat: which
• yat: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Relative pronoun (यद्), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative/Accusative (1st/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• arciṣi: in the flame/splendor
• arciṣi: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: arcis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• pravibhāti: shines forth
• pravibhāti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√bhā (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• iva: as if, like
• iva: Upamā (उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), particle of comparison (उपमा)

• tejaḥ: splendor, radiance
• tejaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tejas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tat: in that
• tat: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन) (in compound with vijñāne)

• vijñāne: in knowledge/realization
• vijñāne: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vijñāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)

• paripaśyanti: behold clearly
• paripaśyanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari√paś (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• dhīrāḥ: the steadfast/wise
• dhīrāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhīra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

• vibhrājamānam: shining, radiant
• vibhrājamānam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√bhrāj (धातु)
• Form: Present participle (शानच्), Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद); Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vimalam: pure, spotless
• vimalam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vimala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• vyoma: sky, ether
• vyoma: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vyoman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन) (used appositionally with dhāma)

• dhāma: abode, realm
• dhāma: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular (एकवचन)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Brahman (Supreme Reality)
• Paramakasha (Supreme Ether/Inner Space)

More Details (1 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Self/Brahman as a pure, stainless luminosity—an inner “sky” (paramākāśa) realized through direct knowledge, not as an external object but as the very radiant ground of awareness.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to contemplative absorption (dhyāna) on the inner space of consciousness where divine tejas is intuited; in the Kurma Purana’s Pashupata-oriented teaching, this aligns with inward withdrawal, steady attention, and jñāna-born vision of the inner light.

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

By describing one supreme, stainless luminous reality realized by the wise, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the same highest Brahman is taught through Vishnu (Kurma) in a manner fully compatible with Shaiva (Pashupata) contemplative language.