Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 51

Genealogies of Yadus and Vṛṣṇis; Navaratha’s Refuge to Sarasvatī; Rise of Sāttvata Tradition; Prelude to Kṛṣṇa-Balarāma Incarnation

Devanagari script

वंशस्य चाक्षयां कीर्ति गानयोगमनुत्तमम् / गुरोरभ्यधिकं विप्राः कामरूपित्वमेव च

Transliteration

vaṃśasya cākṣayāṃ kīrti gānayogamanuttamam / gurorabhyadhikaṃ viprāḥ kāmarūpitvameva ca

Translation

ونالَ (كذلك) مجدًا لا يزول لنسله، وأسمى رياضةٍ في الإنشاد المقدّس والاندماج اليوغي؛ ويا معشرَ البراهمة، حتى قوى تفوق قوى المعلّم—أعني قدرةَ التشكّل واتخاذ الصور كيف شاء.

Word by Word

• वंशस्य: of the lineage
• वंशस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

• अक्षयाम्: imperishable
• अक्षयाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अक्षय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• कीर्तिम्: fame
• कीर्तिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• गानयोगम्: discipline/skill of singing
• गानयोगम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गान + योग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (गानस्य योगः)

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण

• गुरोः: of the teacher
• गुरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अभ्यधिकम्: greater/surpassing
• अभ्यधिकम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अभ्यधिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (comparative sense: exceeding)

• विप्राः: O Brahmins
• विप्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• कामरूपित्वम्: ability to assume forms at will
• कामरूपित्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम + रूपित्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कामस्य रूपित्वम् = इच्छानुसार-रूपधारण-शक्ति)

• एव: indeed/only
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारणार्थक निपात (emphatic particle)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चयार्थक निपात (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator/Sage-teaching voice within the Purva-bhaga discourse (instruction addressed to brāhmaṇas)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it treats fame, yogic absorption, and siddhis as fruits of disciplined practice; in the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching, such attainments are secondary to realizing the Self beyond all changing forms.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights gāna-yoga—sacred song/chant joined with focused absorption—presented as an anuttama (unsurpassed) discipline that can culminate in siddhis when grounded in dharma and restraint.

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

This specific verse does not name Shiva or Vishnu; however, its yogic-siddhi framework aligns with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis where devotion and yoga are harmonized as complementary paths to the same Supreme.