Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35

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

Devanagari script

पुरुषाधिष्ठितात्वाच्च अव्यक्तानुग्रहेण च / महादादयो विशेषान्ता ह्मण्डमुत्पादयन्ति ते

Transliteration

puruṣādhiṣṭhitātvācca avyaktānugraheṇa ca / mahādādayo viśeṣāntā hmaṇḍamutpādayanti te

Translation

Weil sie von Puruṣa (der höchsten Person) gelenkt werden und durch die fördernde Gnade des Unmanifesten (Avyakta/Prakṛti), bringen die Prinzipien von Mahat bis zu den ausdifferenzierten viśeṣa gemeinsam das kosmische Ei (Brahmāṇḍa) hervor.

Word by Word

• पुरुषाधिष्ठितात्वात्: because of being presided over by Puruṣa
• पुरुषाधिष्ठितात्वात्: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष + अधिष्ठितत्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; समासः—पुरुषेण अधिष्ठितम् इति (तत्पुरुष) + -त्व (भाव)

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

• अव्यक्तानुग्रहेण: by the favor/grace of the Unmanifest
• अव्यक्तानुग्रहेण: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त + अनुग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; समासः—अव्यक्तस्य अनुग्रहः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष)

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

• महादयः: Mahat and the rest
• महादयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (महान्) (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; ‘महदादयः’ = महत्-प्रभृतयः (the Mahat etc.)

• विशेषान्ताः: ending with the particulars (tanmātras/bhūtas)
• विशेषान्ताः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशेष + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—विशेषः अन्तः यस्य/येषाम् (तत्पुरुष; ‘ending in the viśeṣas’)

• अण्डम्: the cosmic egg
• अण्डम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• उत्पादयन्ति: produce, bring forth
• उत्पादयन्ति: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उत् + पद्/पादय् (धातु, णिच्)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; णिच्-प्रयोग (causative)

• ते: they
• ते: Karta (कर्ता/Subject; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the cosmological teaching in the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣa
• Avyakta
• Mahat
• Brahmāṇḍa

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents Puruṣa as the presiding Conscious Principle: the tattvas can manifest only when “overseen” by Puruṣa, indicating that consciousness is primary and matter (Avyakta/Prakṛti) functions under that higher supervision.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse is primarily cosmological, but it supports a Yoga view: discernment (viveka) between Puruṣa and Prakṛti is foundational. Such tattva-viveka underlies meditative withdrawal from the evolutes (mahat to viśeṣas) toward the presiding Self.

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

By emphasizing a single supreme presider (Puruṣa) over creation, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthesis where the highest Lord—spoken of in Shaiva or Vaishnava terms in different contexts—is the one Conscious Reality governing Prakṛti and the cosmic process.