Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

Prākṛta Sṛṣṭi and Pralaya: From Pradhāna to Brahmāṇḍa; Trimūrti Samanvaya

Devanagari script

पञ्चभूतान्यहङ्कारात् तन्मात्राणि च जज्ञिरे / इन्द्रियाणि तथा देवाः सर्वं तस्यात्मजं जगत्

Transliteration

pañcabhūtānyahaṅkārāt tanmātrāṇi ca jajñire / indriyāṇi tathā devāḥ sarvaṃ tasyātmajaṃ jagat

Translation

من الأهَنْكارا نشأت العناصر العظمى الخمسة والتنماترا (الماهِيّات اللطيفة)، وكذلك الحواسّ والآلهة. حقّاً إن هذا العالم كلَّه وُلِدَ بوصفه ذريّتَه.

Word by Word

• पञ्चभूतानि: the five elements
• पञ्चभूतानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्च (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (पञ्च + भूतानि)

• अहङ्कारात्: from ego
• अहङ्कारात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अहङ्कार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative), एकवचन; समासः अहम्+कारः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः)

• तन्मात्राणि: the subtle elements (tanmātras)
• तन्मात्राणि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (तत्+मात्र)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• जज्ञिरे: were born/arose
• जज्ञिरे: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• इन्द्रियाणि: sense organs
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारार्थक/समुच्चयार्थक (likewise)

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वम्: all/entire
• सर्वम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• तस्य: of that (ego)
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Possessor)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आत्मजम्: born from it/its offspring
• आत्मजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (आत्मनः जायते इति)

• जगत्: world
• जगत्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing (Sāṅkhya-tattva exposition within the Kurma Purana’s teaching dialogue)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Ahaṅkāra
• Pañca-bhūta
• Tanmātra
• Indriya
• Deva

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that the manifest cosmos—elements, senses, and even the gods—belongs to the evolutes of prakṛti through ahaṅkāra; the Atman stands as the witnessing consciousness distinct from these produced categories.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports tattva-viveka (discriminative contemplation): a yogin analyzes elements, tanmātras, senses, and devatās as products of ahaṅkāra, loosening identification (ahaṅkāra-kṣaya) and stabilizing inwardness for dhyāna.

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

By presenting a shared Sāṅkhya framework of emanation (tattva-sṛṣṭi) used across Shaiva and Vaishnava teachings, it reflects the Purana’s synthetic approach: one ultimate reality taught through complementary divine voices and traditions.