Shloka 24

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

Devanagari script

भूतादिस्तु विकुर्वाणः शब्दमात्रं ससर्ज ह / आकाशं शुषिरं तस्मादुत्पन्नं शब्दलक्षणम्

Transliteration

bhūtādistu vikurvāṇaḥ śabdamātraṃ sasarja ha / ākāśaṃ śuṣiraṃ tasmādutpannaṃ śabdalakṣaṇam

Translation

حينئذٍ إنَّ بُهوتادي (مبدأ الأَهَنْكارا التاماسي) لما تحوَّل أوجد جوهرَ الصوتِ اللطيفَ وحده. ومنه نشأ الآكاشا (الأثير/الفضاء)، أجوفَ شاملًا، وعلامتُه المميِّزة هي الصوت.

Word by Word

• bhūtādiḥ: the primordial element (the first of beings)
• bhūtādiḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhūta + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—भूतानाम् आदिः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

• tu: indeed/but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्धक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात/पदार्थ-भेदक (particle: ‘but/indeed’)

• vikurvāṇaḥ: transforming/modifying
• vikurvāṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + kṛ (धातु) → vikurvāṇa (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपदी धातु √कृ (to do/transform) उपसर्ग vi-

• śabda-mātram: sound alone (mere sound)
• śabda-mātram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—शब्द एव मात्रम् (कर्मधारय)

• sasarja: created/emitted
• sasarja: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ha: indeed/forsooth
• ha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्धक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphatic particle, narrative)

• ākāśam: ether/space
• ākāśam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ākāśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd; here as subject-complement), एकवचन

• śuṣiram: hollow/porous
• śuṣiram: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śuṣira (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifying ākāśam)

• tasmāt: from that
• tasmāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• utpannam: arisen/produced
• utpannam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ud + √pad (धातु) → utpanna (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (ākāśam) इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• śabda-lakṣaṇam: characterized by sound
• śabda-lakṣaṇam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śabda + lakṣaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—शब्दः लक्षणं यस्य/शब्देन लक्षितम् (तत्पुरुष)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the cosmogony as taught in the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhāga)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bhūtādi
• Ahaṅkāra
• Śabda-tanmātra
• Ākāśa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it describes prakṛti’s evolutes (tanmātra and mahābhūta). The implied teaching is that ātman/Īśvara remains the witnessing ground beyond these changing products, while creation proceeds through ordered tattva-evolution.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific practice is prescribed in this verse; however, it supports tattva-viveka (discriminative contemplation) used in Yoga—meditating on how sensory qualities (like sound) arise from subtle principles helps detach awareness from gross elements and turn inward toward the seer.

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

It does not name Śiva or Viṣṇu directly, yet it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: a theistic Purāṇa can employ Sāṅkhya-style tattva evolution while affirming a single supreme Lord (often expressed as Hari-Hara unity) as the ultimate source and overseer of creation.