Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

Puṣkara-dvīpa, Lokāloka, and the Measure of the Brahmāṇḍa

Cosmic Egg

Devanagari script

महेश्वरः परो ऽव्यक्तादण्डमव्यक्तसंभवम् / अण्डाद् ब्रह्मा समुत्पन्नस्तेन सृष्टमिदं जगत्

Transliteration

maheśvaraḥ paro 'vyaktādaṇḍamavyaktasaṃbhavam / aṇḍād brahmā samutpannastena sṛṣṭamidaṃ jagat

Translation

Mahēśvara, der höchste Herr, jenseits des Unmanifestierten, ließ das kosmische Ei entstehen, aus dem Avyakta hervorgegangen. Aus diesem Ei wurde Brahmā geboren; und durch ihn wurde dieses ganze Universum erschaffen.

Word by Word

• महेश्वरः: Maheśvara (Great Lord)
• महेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक; महा + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• परः: higher; transcendent
• परः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; qualifies महेश्वरः

• अव्यक्तात्: from the unmanifest
• अव्यक्तात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन; ablative ‘from the unmanifest’

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

• अव्यक्तसम्भवम्: born from the unmanifest
• अव्यक्तसम्भवम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त-सम्भव (प्रातिपदिक; अव्यक्त + सम्भव)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; qualifies अण्डम्

• अण्डात्: from the egg
• अण्डात्: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन

• समुत्पन्नः: arose; was born
• समुत्पन्नः: Kriya (क्रिया; विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-उत्-पद् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; predicate participle ‘arisen’

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3), एकवचन; instrumental

• सृष्टम्: created
• सृष्टम्: Kriya (क्रिया; विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु) + क्त (कृत्)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; passive participle ‘created’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• जगत्: world; universe
• जगत्: Karma/Viśeṣya (कर्म/विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator/Teacher voice within the Purāṇic dialogue (cosmogonic exposition attributed to the Kurma Purana’s teaching tradition)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maheshvara (Shiva)
• Avyakta (Unmanifest Prakriti)
• Brahmanda (Cosmic Egg)
• Brahma
• Jagat (Universe)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme Lord (Maheshvara) as transcendent to the unmanifest source and as the initiating cause of manifestation—implying a highest reality beyond prakṛti (avyakta) that empowers cosmic emergence.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No direct practice is prescribed in this verse; its yoga-relevance is contemplative: meditation on the Unmanifest (avyakta) and the Lord as the supreme cause supports sāṅkhya-yoga style discernment between prakṛti (source) and īśvara (sovereign principle).

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

By naming Maheshvara as the supreme cosmic initiator while retaining a Purāṇic framework shared across traditions, it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology where supreme lordship is expressed in forms honored by both Shaiva and Vaishnava lineages.