Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 64

Nine Creations (Sarga), Guṇa-Streams of Beings, and Brahmā’s Progeny in Cyclic Time

Devanagari script

नामरूपं च भूतानां कृत्यानां च प्रपञ्चनम् / वेदशब्देभ्य एवादौ निर्ममे स महेश्वरः

Transliteration

nāmarūpaṃ ca bhūtānāṃ kṛtyānāṃ ca prapañcanam / vedaśabdebhya evādau nirmame sa maheśvaraḥ

Translation

Ganz am Anfang schuf Maheśvara die offenbarte Entfaltung—die Namen und Formen der Wesen und die Ausfächerung von Handlungen und Riten—wahrlich allein aus den Lauten des Veda.

Word by Word

• नाम-रूपम्: name and form
• नाम-रूपम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नामन् (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), एकवचन (Singular) (collective)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• भूतानाम्: of beings
• भूतानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• कृत्यानाम्: of actions/that which is to be done
• कृत्यानाम्: सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (Genitive/षष्ठी), बहुवचन (Plural); नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter)

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• प्रपञ्चनम्: manifestation/expansion
• प्रपञ्चनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रपञ्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वितीया (Accusative/द्वितीया), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), एकवचन (Singular)

• वेद-शब्देभ्यः: from the Vedic words
• वेद-शब्देभ्यः: अपादान (Apadana/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक) + शब्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (वेदस्य शब्दाः); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), पञ्चमी (Ablative/पञ्चमी), बहुवचन (Plural)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• आदौ: in the beginning
• आदौ: अधिकरण (Adhikarana/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/सप्तमी), एकवचन (Singular); अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘in the beginning’

• निर्ममे: he created/formed
• निर्ममे: क्रिया (Verb/Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्√मा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/लिट्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (Singular); आत्मनेपद

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative/प्रथमा), पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), एकवचन (Singular); सर्वनाम

• महेश्वरः: the Great Lord (Maheśvara)
• महेश्वरः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (महान् ईश्वरः); पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा (Nominative), एकवचन (Singular)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Purāṇic account of creation centered on Maheśvara/Iśvara)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Maheśvara
• Veda
• Nāma-rūpa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents Iśvara (Maheśvara) as the originating intelligence who projects the world as nāma–rūpa; the manifest cosmos is dependent on the Supreme, while the Supreme stands prior to and beyond the manifested differentiation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to Veda-śabda as a primary revelatory principle; in a Yoga context this supports mantra-oriented contemplation (śabda-brahman upāsanā), where disciplined recitation and inward absorption into sacred sound becomes a means to align the mind with Iśvara.

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

By attributing cosmic origination to Maheśvara while the Kurma Purana overall integrates Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava frames, it supports a non-sectarian reading: the supreme Iśvara who creates through sacred sound is ultimately one, approached through Śiva or Viṣṇu names and forms.