Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48

Virocana–Bali, Aditi’s Tapas, and the Vāmana–Trivikrama Episode

Devanagari script

विज्ञाय विष्णुर्भगवान् भरद्वाजप्रचोदितः / आस्थाय वामनं रूपं यज्ञदेशमथागमत्

Transliteration

vijñāya viṣṇurbhagavān bharadvājapracoditaḥ / āsthāya vāmanaṃ rūpaṃ yajñadeśamathāgamat

Translation

Als der erhabene Viṣṇu die Lage erkannte und von Bharadvāja dazu angeregt wurde, nahm er die Gestalt des Vāmana an und gelangte zum Ort des Opfers.

Word by Word

• vijñāya: having known
• vijñāya: Kriyā-sahakārī (क्रियासहकारी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi-√jñā (ज्ञा धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/त्वान्त (ktvā), avyaya-kṛdanta; pūrva-kāla-kriyā

• viṣṇuḥ: Vishnu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (विष्णु प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana

• bhagavān: the Blessed Lord
• bhagavān: Karta (कर्ता; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (भगवत् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana; apposition to viṣṇuḥ

• bharadvāja-pracoditaḥ: urged by Bharadvāja
• bharadvāja-pracoditaḥ: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of viṣṇuḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bharadvāja (भरद्वाज प्रातिपदिक) + pracodita (प्र-√cud धातु, क्त कृदन्त)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā (Nom. 1), Ekavacana; samāsa: tatpuruṣa (bharadvājena pracoditaḥ)

• āsthāya: having assumed
• āsthāya: Kriyā-sahakārī (क्रियासहकारी)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sthā (स्था धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/त्वान्त (ktvā), avyaya-kṛdanta; pūrva-kāla-kriyā (‘having assumed/taken’)

• vāmanam: dwarf (Vāmana)
• vāmanam: Karma (कर्म; qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vāmana (वामन प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana; viśeṣaṇa of rūpam

• rūpam: form
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म/object; assumed form)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (रूप प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napुंसakaliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana

• yajña-deśam: the place of sacrifice
• yajña-deśam: Karma (कर्म; goal as object of motion)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yajña (यज्ञ प्रातिपदिक) + deśa (देश प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā (Acc. 2), Ekavacana; samāsa: tatpuruṣa (yajñasya deśaḥ)

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अथ अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; anantarya/ārambha-sūcaka (then/now)

• agamat: went
• agamat: Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (गम् धातु)
• Form: Laṅ-lakāra (Imperfect/Past/अनद्यतनभूत), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration, traditionally Sūta/compilers recounting events)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Bharadvaja
• Vamana
• Yajna (sacrificial arena)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as Bhagavān who freely assumes forms (rūpa) without being limited by them—suggesting a transcendent Lord who manifests for dharma while remaining beyond embodiment.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is taught in this verse; instead it highlights īśvara-anugraha (divine grace) and responsiveness to a sage’s prompting—an important Purāṇic complement to Yoga: realization is supported by grace alongside discipline.

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

While Śiva is not named here, the Kurma Purāṇa’s synthesis is reflected in the shared theological frame: the one Lord (Īśvara) protects dharma through manifested forms—an outlook consistent with later Shaiva-Vaishnava unity themes in the text.