Shloka 30

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

Devanagari script

रूपं तथैवाविशतः शब्दस्पर्शौ गुणावुभौ / त्रिगुणः स्यात् ततो वह्निः स शब्दस्पर्शरूपवान्

Transliteration

rūpaṃ tathaivāviśataḥ śabdasparśau guṇāvubhau / triguṇaḥ syāt tato vahniḥ sa śabdasparśarūpavān

Translation

ثم دخلت «الصورة/الهيئة» (rūpa) كذلك، مع الصفتين: الصوت واللمس. فصار ذا ثلاث صفات، ومنه نشأ وَهْني (النار) متصفاً بالصوت واللمس والصورة.

Word by Word

• rūpam: form/colour
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• tathā: thus/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निपात)

• āviśataḥ: entered/pervaded
• āviśataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√viś (विश्—धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, imperfect/past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); parasmaipada

• śabda-sparśau: sound and touch
• śabda-sparśau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana (द्विवचन); itaretara-dvandva (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व)

• guṇau: two qualities
• guṇau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

• ubhau: both
• ubhau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana; pronoun used adjectivally

• tri-guṇaḥ: threefold; having three qualities
• tri-guṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; dvigu-samāsa (three qualities)

• syāt: would be/is to be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्—धातु)
• Form: Liṅ (लिङ्, optative/potential), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• tataḥ: from that/thereupon
• tataḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (sequence/source)

• vahniḥ: fire
• vahniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• saḥ: he/that (fire)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• śabda-sparśa-rūpa-vān: possessing sound, touch, and form
• śabda-sparśa-rūpa-vān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + -vant (प्रत्यय)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa with possessive suffix -vant (मतुप्/वन्त): possessing sound, touch, and form

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Purāṇic teaching of creation as taught by sages in the Kurma Purana tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vahni (Agni)
• Śabda
• Sparśa
• Rūpa
• Guṇa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it describes prakṛti’s elemental evolution through guṇas and qualities; the Atman/Iśvara is implied as the witnessing, transcendent principle distinct from these changing tattvas.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse itself is cosmological, but it supports tattva-viveka (discriminative contemplation): meditating on how elements arise with specific qualities helps detach awareness from sensory attributes (sound, touch, form), a foundation for Purāṇic Yoga disciplines.

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

Not explicitly; it contributes to the shared metaphysical ground used by both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava teachings in the Kurma Purana—cosmic evolution is presented as a universal framework within which devotion to either form of Iśvara is harmonized.