Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 28

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

Devanagari script

आपश्चापि विकुर्वन्त्यो गन्धमात्रं ससर्जिरे / संघातो जायते तस्मात् तस्य गन्धो गुणो मतः

Transliteration

āpaścāpi vikurvantyo gandhamātraṃ sasarjire / saṃghāto jāyate tasmāt tasya gandho guṇo mataḥ

Translation

والمياه أيضًا، إذ تتحوَّل، تُنْشِئ جوهرَ الرائحةِ اللطيفَ وحده. ومنه تنشأ الكثافةُ والتماسكُ (الصلابة)، فلذلك تُعَدُّ الرائحةُ صفتَه.

Word by Word

• āpaḥ: waters
• āpaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ap/āpas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (बहुवचन-प्रयोगः), प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्धक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/वाक्य-सम्बन्धक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (also)

• vikurvantyaḥ: transforming
• vikurvantyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + kṛ (धातु) → vikurvantī (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; (āpaḥ) इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• gandha-mātram: smell alone (mere smell)
• gandha-mātram: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—गन्ध एव मात्रम् (कर्मधारय)

• sasarjire: created/emitted
• sasarjire: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √sṛj (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• saṃghātaḥ: aggregation/solid mass
• saṃghātaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃghāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• jāyate: arises/is born
• jāyate: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jan (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद (intransitive: ‘is born/arises’)

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

• tasya: of it/of that
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• gandhaḥ: smell
• gandhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gandha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• guṇaḥ: quality
• guṇaḥ: Samānādhikaraṇa (समानाधिकरण/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (gandhaḥ) इत्यस्य विधेय/समानााधिकरण

• mataḥ: considered/held to be
• mataḥ: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण/विधेय-भाव)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √man (धातु) → mata (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is considered’

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the cosmological teaching as transmitted in the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Āpaḥ (Water)
• Gandha-tanmātra (subtle smell)
• Saṃghāta (aggregation/solidity)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By mapping smell and solidity as effects of elemental transformation, the verse implies the Atman is distinct from changing qualities (guṇas) and material evolutes; the Self is the witness beyond such produced attributes.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This supports tattva-viveka (discernment of principles): a contemplative practice used in Pashupata- and Ishvara-oriented sadhana to disidentify from sensory qualities (like smell) and stabilize awareness in the inner witness.

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

Though not naming them directly, the teaching aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: the same Supreme Ishvara—revered as Shiva or Vishnu—presides over the orderly evolution of tattvas, making cosmology a shared theological ground.