Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 25

Dvīpa-Varṣa Vibhāga and the Priyavrata–Agnīdhra Lineage

Cosmic Geography and Royal Succession

Devanagari script

प्लक्षद्वीपादिषु ज्ञेयः शाकद्वीपान्तिकेषु वै / वर्णाश्रमविभागेन स्वधर्मो मुक्तये द्विजाः

Transliteration

plakṣadvīpādiṣu jñeyaḥ śākadvīpāntikeṣu vai / varṇāśramavibhāgena svadharmo muktaye dvijāḥ

Translation

Wisset, dass in Gegenden wie Plakṣa-dvīpa und auch in den an Śāka-dvīpa grenzenden Ländern der Weg zur Befreiung für die Zweimalgeborenen die eigene Pflicht (svadharma) ist, bestimmt durch die rechte Einteilung von varṇa und āśrama.

Word by Word

• प्लक्षद्वीपादिषु: in Plakṣa-dvīpa and the others
• प्लक्षद्वीपादिषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लक्ष-द्वीप-आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/अधिकरण), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (प्लक्षद्वीपः + आदि)

• ज्ञेयः: is to be known
• ज्ञेयः: Karya (कार्य/Obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + यत् (कृत्)
• Form: कृदन्त (gerundive/भाव्य); ‘ज्ञेय’—कर्तव्य/ज्ञातव्य (to be known); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन (अध्याहृतः विषयः)

• शाकद्वीपान्तिकेषु: in the regions near Śāka-dvīpa
• शाकद्वीपान्तिकेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाक-द्वीप-अन्तिक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग/पुंलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (Locative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शाकद्वीपस्य अन्तिके)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle) — emphasis/assurance

• वर्णाश्रमविभागेन: by the division of varṇas and āśramas
• वर्णाश्रमविभागेन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण-आश्रम-विभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (वर्णाश्रमयोः विभागः)

• स्वधर्मः: one's own duty
• स्वधर्मः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व-धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्वस्य धर्मः)

• मुक्तये: for liberation
• मुक्तये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative purpose)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मुक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन; प्रयोजनार्थे

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाः: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Vocative address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, बहुवचन; सम्बोधनार्थे (हे द्विजाः)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) instructing sages/disciples in Purāṇic discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Plakṣa-dvīpa
• Śāka-dvīpa
• varṇa
• āśrama
• svadharma
• mokṣa

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames liberation (mokṣa) as approached through svadharma aligned with varṇa-āśrama order—purifying the mind so Self-knowledge can arise, a common Purāṇic bridge between disciplined action and realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is named; the verse emphasizes karma-yoga in the Purāṇic sense—performing one’s prescribed duties according to varṇa and āśrama as a disciplined sādhanā supportive of liberation.

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

It does not mention Śiva or Viṣṇu explicitly; its synthesis is thematic—presenting dharma-based purification as compatible with both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva soteriology found throughout the Kūrma Purāṇa.