Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 139

Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

Devanagari script

नमस्कृत्वा हरिं विष्णुं जगद्योनिं सनातनम् / अध्येतव्यमिदं शास्त्रं कृष्णद्वैपायनं तथा

Transliteration

namaskṛtvā hariṃ viṣṇuṃ jagadyoniṃ sanātanam / adhyetavyamidaṃ śāstraṃ kṛṣṇadvaipāyanaṃ tathā

Translation

Nachdem man Hari—Vishnu, den ewigen Schoß und Ursprung des Universums, ehrfürchtig gegrüßt hat, soll diese heilige Lehre studiert werden, wie sie von Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana (Vyāsa) verfasst und überliefert wurde.

Word by Word

• नमस्कृत्वा: having saluted
• नमस्कृत्वा: Purvakala (पूर्वकाल/Prior action)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नमस्-√कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (absolutive/gerund); ‘having made salutation’

• हरिम्: Hari
• हरिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन

• विष्णुम्: Vishnu
• विष्णुम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; apposition to हरिम्

• जगद्-योनिम्: source of the world
• जगद्-योनिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + योनि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (‘jagatāṃ yoniḥ’)

• सनातनम्: eternal
• सनातनम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; qualifies हरि/विष्णु

• अध्येतव्यम्: should be studied
• अध्येतव्यम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अधि-√इ (धातु)
• Form: तव्यत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (gerundive/future passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन; ‘to be studied/should be studied’

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; here with शास्त्रम (nominative)

• शास्त्रम्: treatise/scripture
• शास्त्रम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शास्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचन

• कृष्ण-द्वैपायनम्: Krishna Dvaipayana (Vyasa)
• कृष्ण-द्वैपायनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वैपायन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd case), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (proper name)

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/प्रकारवाचक (also/likewise)

Speaker

Sūta (traditional narrator) / Purāṇic redactorial voice introducing study with maṅgala (invocation)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: bhakti

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Hari
• Vishnu
• Jagadyoni (cosmic source)
• Krishna Dvaipayana (Vyasa)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling Hari-Vishnu “jagadyoni” and “sanātana,” the verse points to the Supreme as the eternal ground and origin of the cosmos—an all-pervading reality worthy of reverent approach before study.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes a foundational sādhana: namaskāra (reverential surrender) before engaging with śāstra. In the Kurma Purana’s discipline-oriented tone, this functions as the inner preparation that supports later teachings on dharma and yoga, including Pāśupata-oriented practice.

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

Although this verse names Vishnu explicitly, its Purāṇic framing (invocation + śāstra-study) aligns with the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis: honoring the Supreme through a chosen form while proceeding into teachings that elsewhere integrate Shaiva and Vaishnava perspectives.