Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 104

Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

यत्तत् प्रधानं त्रिगुणं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवात्मकम् / धृतं त्रिशूलधरणाद् भवत्येव न संशयः

Transliteration

yattat pradhānaṃ triguṇaṃ brahmaviṣṇuśivātmakam / dhṛtaṃ triśūladharaṇād bhavatyeva na saṃśayaḥ

Translation

Jenes uranfängliche Pradhāna, aus den drei Guṇas bestehend und von der Natur Brahmās, Viṣṇus und Śivas—wenn es vom Träger des Dreizacks getragen wird—tritt gewiss in Erscheinung; daran besteht kein Zweifel.

Word by Word

• यत्: which
• यत्: कर्ता/कर्म (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — सम्बन्धसूचक

• तत्: that
• तत्: कर्ता/कर्म (contextual)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — यत्-तत् समन्वय

• प्रधानम्: Pradhāna (primordial principle)
• प्रधानम्: कर्ता (Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — 'pradhāna' (primordial matter)

• त्रिगुणम्: threefold in guṇas
• त्रिगुणम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + गुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगुसमास; प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — प्रधानम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• ब्रह्म-विष्णु-शिव-आत्मकम्: having the nature of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva
• ब्रह्म-विष्णु-शिव-आत्मकम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + शिव (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (बहुपद-समास; brahma-viṣṇu-śiva-ātmakam = having the nature of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva); प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — प्रधानम् इति विशेष्यस्य विशेषणम्

• धृतम्: worn/held
• धृतम्: विधेय (Predicative)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: धृ (धातु) → धृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृत् (क्त/PPP); प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — (एतत्) धृतम् इति

• त्रिशूल-धरणात्: from holding the trident
• त्रिशूल-धरणात्: अपादान (Ablative/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिशूल (प्रातिपदिक) + धरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (triśūlasya dharaṇam = holding the trident); पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग — हेतौ (cause)

• भवति: becomes/is
• भवति: क्रिया (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present/लट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• एव: certainly
• एव: अव्यय (particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphasis)

• न: not/no
• न: अव्यय (negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• संशयः: doubt
• संशयः: कर्ता (Subject; idiom 'no doubt')
• Type: Noun
• Root: संशय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing the sages/Indradyumna in a Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava synthesis

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Pradhāna (Prakṛti)
• Triguṇa
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Śiva (Triśūladhara)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents one supreme reality that appears as Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva while governing Pradhāna (Prakṛti); manifestation occurs through divine support, implying a single sovereign principle behind the triad and creation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse is doctrinal rather than procedural, but it supports Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning contemplation: meditate on Īśvara as the inner controller of the three guṇas and as the unified essence of the divine triad, cultivating detachment from guṇa-driven nature.

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

It frames Brahmā–Viṣṇu–Śiva as one essence, and even attributes the sustaining role in manifestation to the trident-bearer (Śiva), reflecting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where Śiva and Viṣṇu are mutually inclusive forms of Īśvara.