Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

Brahmā’s Lotus-Birth, the Sealing of the Cosmic Womb, and the Epiphany of Parameśvara

Hari–Hara Samanvaya

Devanagari script

तं दृष्ट्वा देवमीशानं ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः / मोहितो माययात्यर्थं पीतवाससमब्वीत्

Transliteration

taṃ dṛṣṭvā devamīśānaṃ brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ / mohito māyayātyarthaṃ pītavāsasamabvīt

Translation

Als Brahmā, der Großvater der Welten, jenen Herrn Īśāna erblickte, wurde er durch die māyā des Herrn völlig betört; dann sprach er zu Dem, der gelbe Gewänder trug.

Word by Word

• तम्: him
• तम्: कर्म (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: √दृश् (धातु) + त्वा (अव्ययकृदन्त)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: कर्म
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• ईशानम्: the Lord (Īśāna)
• ईशानम्: कर्म (apposition to देवम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ईशान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

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

• लोक-पितामहः: grandfather of the worlds
• लोक-पितामहः: कर्ता (apposition to ब्रह्मा)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + पितामह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (लोकस्य पितामहः)

• मोहितः: bewildered
• मोहितः: कर्ता-विशेषण
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √मुह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि (past passive participle)

• मायया: by illusion
• मायया: करण
• Type: Noun
• Root: माया (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• अति-अर्थम्: exceedingly, greatly
• अति-अर्थम्: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अति (अव्यय) + अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समासः; अव्ययत्वेन प्रयोगः (adverbial)

• पीत-वाससम्: the yellow-robed one
• पीत-वाससम्: कर्म (Object of speech/mention)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पीत (कृदन्त; √पा (धातु) + क्त) + वासस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (पीतम् वासः यस्य/पीतं वासः)

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration describing Brahmā’s reaction before addressing the Lord in pītāmbara)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Īśāna (the Sovereign Lord)
• Brahmā (Lokapitāmaha)
• Māyā
• Pītāmbara (the Yellow-robed Lord, commonly indicating Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies the Supreme Lord (Īśāna) is beyond even Brahmā, whose intellect can be veiled by māyā; the highest Self is the sovereign reality that controls māyā rather than being controlled by it.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse does not prescribe a technique directly, but it supports a core yogic principle: discernment (viveka) against māyā’s delusion, a prerequisite for īśvara-bhakti and higher contemplative stability taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana’s yoga materials.

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

By calling the Lord “Īśāna” while also describing Him as “pītavāsas” (a strong Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa marker), the verse reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology where the one Supreme is praised through both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava identifiers.