Shloka 50

Nine Creations (Sarga), Guṇa-Streams of Beings, and Brahmā’s Progeny in Cyclic Time

Devanagari script

अन्धकारे क्षुधाविष्टा राक्षसास्तस्य जज्ञिरे / पुत्रास्तमोरजः प्राया बलिनस्ते निशाचराः

Transliteration

andhakāre kṣudhāviṣṭā rākṣasāstasya jajñire / putrāstamorajaḥ prāyā balinaste niśācarāḥ

Translation

وفي الظلمة وُلدت منه الرّاكشاسا (rākṣasa) وقد استبدّ بهم الجوع. أولئك السائرون في الليل، وأكثرهم منبثق من صفة التامس (tamas)، صاروا ذريته الأقوياء.

Word by Word

• अन्धकारे: in darkness
• अन्धकारे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अन्धकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• क्षुधा: with hunger
• क्षुधा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षुध्/क्षुधा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• आविष्टाः: possessed; seized
• आविष्टाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ-विश् (धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• राक्षसाः: rākṣasas
• राक्षसाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तस्य: of him; his
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

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

• पुत्राः: sons
• पुत्राः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; राक्षसाः इत्यस्य अप्पोजिशन (apposition)

• तमोरजः: of tamas and rajas
• तमोरजः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तमस् (प्रातिपदिक) + रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (तमस्+रजस्), षष्ठी, एकवचन; विशेषण-सम्बन्ध

• प्रायाः: mostly composed of
• प्रायाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्राय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (mostly consisting of)

• बलिनः: strong
• बलिनः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: बलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम्

• ते: they/those
• ते: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• निशाचराः: night-wanderers
• निशाचराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा (प्रातिपदिक) + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमास (निशायां चरन्ति), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (traditional sūta-style narration within the Kurma Purana’s creation account)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhayanaka

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Rākṣasas
• Tamas
• Niśācaras

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it describes how beings arise through guṇas (especially tamas) in creation, implying that the Self remains distinct from these conditioned manifestations while prakṛti produces varied forms.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific practice is prescribed in this verse, but it supports the Yogic aim of reducing tamas (inertia, darkness) through discipline, clarity (sattva), and self-control—key prerequisites emphasized elsewhere in the Kurma Purana’s Yoga-oriented teachings.

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

It does not explicitly mention Shiva–Vishnu unity; however, within the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis, such cosmological descriptions are framed as operations of the one divine governance (Īśvara) acknowledged in both Shaiva and Vaishnava idioms.