Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 44

Jambūdvīpa Varṣas, Bhārata as Karmabhūmi, and the Sacred Hydro-Topography of Dharma

Devanagari script

यानि किंपुरुषाद्यानि वर्षाण्यष्टौ महर्षयः / न तेषु शोको नायासो नोद्वेगः क्षुद्भयं न च

Transliteration

yāni kiṃpuruṣādyāni varṣāṇyaṣṭau maharṣayaḥ / na teṣu śoko nāyāso nodvegaḥ kṣudbhayaṃ na ca

Translation

يا أيها الحكماء العظام، في تلك الأقاليم الثمانية (فارشا) التي تبدأ بكِمْبُورُوشا لا حزنَ ولا عناءَ ولا اضطرابَ، ولا جوعَ ولا خوفَ كذلك.

Word by Word

• yāni: which (those)
• yāni: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (Nominative/Accusative), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम (relative pronoun)

• kiṃpuruṣa-ādyāni: beginning with Kiṃpuruṣa
• kiṃpuruṣa-ādyāni: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: kiṃpuruṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष/निर्धारणार्थ ‘kiṃpuruṣa-ādi’ = beginning with Kiṃpuruṣa

• varṣāṇi: regions/lands (varṣas)
• varṣāṇi: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: varṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन

• aṣṭau: eight
• aṣṭau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aṣṭan (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक विशेषण (numeral adjective)

• maharṣayaḥ: great sages
• maharṣayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: maharṣi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय (negative particle)

• teṣu: in them
• teṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (Locative), बहुवचन; अधिकरण (location)

• śokaḥ: sorrow
• śokaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śoka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• āyāsaḥ: fatigue/strain
• āyāsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āyāsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• udvegaḥ: anxiety/agitation
• udvegaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: udvega (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• kṣut-bhayam: fear of hunger
• kṣut-bhayam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣut (प्रातिपदिक) + bhaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष ‘kṣut-bhaya’ = fear of hunger

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Narrator (Vyasa/Suta tradition) describing Puranic geography to the assembled sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kiṁpuruṣa-varṣa
• varṣas (eight regions)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by portraying realms free from sorrow, fear, and hunger, it points to a condition akin to sattvic harmony and freedom from mental afflictions—qualities associated with realization of the Self beyond duḥkha.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific practice is taught in this verse; it instead describes the फल (result)—a state free from udvega (agitation) and śoka (grief). In the Kurma Purana’s broader yoga-dharma frame, such calmness aligns with disciplined mind-control (śama) and inner steadiness cultivated by yoga.

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

This verse is primarily cosmographic and does not explicitly discuss Shiva–Vishnu unity; however, the Kurma Purana’s wider synthesis reads such ideal, fear-free realms as upheld by the one Supreme Lord revered through both Shaiva and Vaishnava idioms.