Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

Dvīpa-Varṣa Vibhāga and the Priyavrata–Agnīdhra Lineage

Cosmic Geography and Royal Succession

Devanagari script

ज्योतिष्मान् दशमस्तेषां महाबलपराक्रमः / धार्मिको दाननिरतः सर्वभूतानुकम्पकः

Transliteration

jyotiṣmān daśamasteṣāṃ mahābalaparākramaḥ / dhārmiko dānanirataḥ sarvabhūtānukampakaḥ

Translation

Der zehnte unter ihnen war Jyotiṣmān, von großer Kraft und Heldenmut; ein Gerechter, dem Geben zugetan und voll Mitgefühl für alle Wesen.

Word by Word

• jyotiṣmān: Jyotiṣmān
• jyotiṣmān: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotiṣmat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम/विशेषण-रूप नाम

• daśamaḥ: the tenth
• daśamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्रमवाचक (ordinal)

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• mahā-bala-parākramaḥ: of great strength and valor
• mahā-bala-parākramaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक) + parākrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् बलः च पराक्रमः च यस्य/महाबलः पराक्रमः) विशेषण (jyotiṣmataḥ)

• dhārmikaḥ: righteous
• dhārmikaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dhārmika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• dāna-nirataḥ: devoted to giving
• dāna-nirataḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dāna (प्रातिपदिक) + nirata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (दाने निरतः) विशेषण

• sarva-bhūta-anukampakaḥ: compassionate to all beings
• sarva-bhūta-anukampakaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक) + bhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + anukampaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (सर्वेषां भूतानां अनुकम्पकः) विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) / Purāṇic narrator describing a lineage

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Jyotiṣmān
• Dharma
• Dāna
• Sarvabhūta (all beings)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by praising compassion toward all beings, it implies the dharmic vision that life is interconnected—an ethical foundation that supports later Kurma Purana teachings where spiritual realization is stabilized by non-harm and universal goodwill.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is taught in this verse; it highlights the yama-like ethical base—charity (dāna) and compassion (dayā)—which the Kurma Purana treats as supportive disciplines for higher Yoga, including later Pāśupata-oriented practice.

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

This verse does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; it emphasizes shared dharmic virtues (dharma, dāna, compassion) that the Kurma Purana consistently upholds across its Śaiva–Vaiṣṇava synthesis.