Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

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

Devanagari script

य एवं वेद धर्मार्थकाममोक्षस्य मानवः / माहात्म्यं चानुतिष्ठेत स चानन्त्याय कल्पते

Transliteration

ya evaṃ veda dharmārthakāmamokṣasya mānavaḥ / māhātmyaṃ cānutiṣṭheta sa cānantyāya kalpate

Translation

Wer als Mensch Dharma, Artha, Kāma und Mokṣa so erkennt und zudem gemäß dieser heiligen Größe (Māhātmya) lebt, wird des Unendlichen würdig und erlangt den unvergänglichen Zustand.

Word by Word

• यः: who
• यः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: प्रकार (Manner)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, प्रकारवाचक (manner)

• वेद: knows
• वेद: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धर्म-अर्थ-काम-मोक्षस्य: of dharma, wealth, desire, and liberation
• धर्म-अर्थ-काम-मोक्षस्य: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक) + काम (प्रातिपदिक) + मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: द्वन्द्व (चतुर्वर्ग), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन

• मानवः: a man
• मानवः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; यः-इति विशेष्य

• माहात्म्यम्: the greatness (glory)
• माहात्म्यम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: माहात्म्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अनुतिष्ठेत: should practice/perform
• अनुतिष्ठेत: क्रिया (Injunctive/should-do)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु-स्था (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: also/and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• अनन्त्याय: for endlessness (eternal state)
• अनन्त्याय: सम्प्रदान (Sampradāna/Purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (भाववाचक), चतुर्थी, एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थ

• कल्पते: is fit/attains
• कल्पते: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कॢप् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Suta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s teaching as received from the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Artha
• Kama
• Moksha
• Mahatmya

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By promising “ānantya” (endlessness/imperishability) to the knower-practitioner, the verse points to liberation as entry into the deathless, unbounded reality that transcends finite aims—an Upanishadic marker of the Atman/Brahman state.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes anutiṣṭhāna—disciplined observance and lived practice—rather than mere study. In Kurma Purana’s idiom this aligns with yoga-sādhana grounded in dharma (ethical restraint), devotion, and regulated conduct that matures into mokṣa.

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

Though not naming them explicitly, the teaching reflects the Purana’s synthesis: liberation comes from knowing the puruṣārthas and practicing the praised sacred path (māhātmya) endorsed across Shaiva–Vaishnava frameworks, where right observance culminates in the imperishable goal.