Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

Prākṛta Sṛṣṭi and Pralaya: From Pradhāna to Brahmāṇḍa; Trimūrti Samanvaya

Devanagari script

रूपं तथैवाविशतः शब्दस्पर्शौ गुणावुभौ / त्रिगुणः स्यात् ततो वह्निः स शब्दस्पर्शरूपवान्

Transliteration

rūpaṃ tathaivāviśataḥ śabdasparśau guṇāvubhau / triguṇaḥ syāt tato vahniḥ sa śabdasparśarūpavān

Translation

Dann trat auch die Gestalt/Form (rūpa) ein, zusammen mit den beiden Qualitäten Klang und Berührung. So wurde es dreifach an Qualitäten, und daraus entstand Vahni (Feuer), begabt mit Klang, Berührung und Form.

Word by Word

• rūpam: form/colour
• rūpam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• tathā: thus/likewise
• tathā: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (क्रियाविशेषण)

• eva: indeed/just
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निपात)

• āviśataḥ: entered/pervaded
• āviśataḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√viś (विश्—धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, imperfect/past), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Bahuvacana (बहुवचन); parasmaipada

• śabda-sparśau: sound and touch
• śabda-sparśau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana (द्विवचन); itaretara-dvandva (इतरेतर-द्वन्द्व)

• guṇau: two qualities
• guṇau: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana

• ubhau: both
• ubhau: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ubha (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Dvivacana; pronoun used adjectivally

• tri-guṇaḥ: threefold; having three qualities
• tri-guṇaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; dvigu-samāsa (three qualities)

• syāt: would be/is to be
• syāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √as (अस्—धातु)
• Form: Liṅ (लिङ्, optative/potential), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• tataḥ: from that/thereupon
• tataḥ: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (sequence/source)

• vahniḥ: fire
• vahniḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vahni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• saḥ: he/that (fire)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; demonstrative pronoun

• śabda-sparśa-rūpa-vān: possessing sound, touch, and form
• śabda-sparśa-rūpa-vān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śabda (प्रातिपदिक) + sparśa (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक) + -vant (प्रत्यय)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; tatpuruṣa with possessive suffix -vant (मतुप्/वन्त): possessing sound, touch, and form

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Purāṇic teaching of creation as taught by sages in the Kurma Purana tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vahni (Agni)
• Śabda
• Sparśa
• Rūpa
• Guṇa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it describes prakṛti’s elemental evolution through guṇas and qualities; the Atman/Iśvara is implied as the witnessing, transcendent principle distinct from these changing tattvas.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse itself is cosmological, but it supports tattva-viveka (discriminative contemplation): meditating on how elements arise with specific qualities helps detach awareness from sensory attributes (sound, touch, form), a foundation for Purāṇic Yoga disciplines.

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

Not explicitly; it contributes to the shared metaphysical ground used by both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava teachings in the Kurma Purana—cosmic evolution is presented as a universal framework within which devotion to either form of Iśvara is harmonized.