Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

Devī-tattva, Śakti–Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla–Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction

Devanagari script

इति श्रीकूर्मपुराणे षट्साहस्त्र्यां संहितायां पूर्वविभागे देशमो ऽध्यायः श्रीकूर्म उवाच एवं सृष्ट्वा परीच्यादीन् देवदेवः पितामहः / सहैव मानसैः पुत्रैस्तताप परमं तपः

Transliteration

iti śrīkūrmapurāṇe ṣaṭsāhastryāṃ saṃhitāyāṃ pūrvavibhāge deśamo 'dhyāyaḥ śrīkūrma uvāca evaṃ sṛṣṭvā parīcyādīn devadevaḥ pitāmahaḥ / sahaiva mānasaiḥ putraistatāpa paramaṃ tapaḥ

Translation

Thus, in the Śrī Kūrma Purāṇa, in the six-thousand-verse Saṃhitā, in the Pūrva-bhāga—here begins the chapter. Lord Kūrma said: Having thus created Parīci and the other sages, the Grandfather Brahmā, the God of gods, together with his mind-born sons, undertook the highest austerity (tapas).

Word by Word

• iti: thus
• iti: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; quotation/closure particle (इति-प्रयोगः)

• śrīkūrmapurāṇe: in the Śrī Kūrma Purāṇa
• śrīkūrmapurāṇe: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-kūrma-purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + कूर्म + पुराण)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; adhikaraṇa (स्थान)

• ṣaṭsāhastryām: in the six-thousand (collection)
• ṣaṭsāhastryām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ-sāhastrī (प्रातिपदिक; षट् + साहस्त्री)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular; adhikaraṇa

• saṃhitāyām: in the saṃhitā
• saṃhitāyām: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: saṃhitā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• pūrvavibhāge: in the former section
• pūrvavibhāge: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pūrva-vibhāga (प्रातिपदिक; पूर्व + विभाग)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular

• daśamaḥ: tenth
• daśamaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: daśama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ordinal adjective qualifying 'adhyāyaḥ'

• adhyāyaḥ: chapter
• adhyāyaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/subject of implied 'is')
• Type: Noun
• Root: adhyāya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; heading/topic

• śrīkūrmaḥ: Śrī Kūrma
• śrīkūrmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śrī-kūrma (प्रातिपदिक; श्री + कूर्म)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; speaker designation

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vac (धातु)
• Form: Luṅ (लुङ्, aorist), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• evam: thus
• evam: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: evam (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb (रीतिवाचक)

• sṛṣṭvā: having created
• sṛṣṭvā: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sṛj (धातु)
• Form: Kṛdanta; Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वा/ल्यप्), having created

• parīci-ādīn: Parīci and others
• parīci-ādīn: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parīci + ādi (प्रातिपदिक; परीचि + आदि)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural; object of 'sṛṣṭvā'

• devadevaḥ: god of gods
• devadevaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva-deva (प्रातिपदिक; देव + देव)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; apposition to 'pitāmahaḥ'

• pitāmahaḥ: the Grandfather (Brahmā)
• pitāmahaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; subject of 'tatāpa'

• saha: together with
• saha: Sahārtha (सहार्थ)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: saha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; preposition-like indeclinable meaning 'together with'; governs instrumental

• eva: indeed
• eva: Nipāta (निपात/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; emphatic particle (निश्चयार्थक)

• mānasaiḥ: mind-born
• mānasaiḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mānasa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; qualifies 'putraiḥ'

• putraiḥ: with (his) sons
• putraiḥ: Sahakāraka (सहकारक/ सहार्थे तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: putra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; companion with 'saha'

• tatāpa: performed (austerity)
• tatāpa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tap (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ (लिट्, perfect), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies 'tapaḥ'

• tapaḥ: austerity
• tapaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; object of 'tatāpa'

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kūrma
• Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
• Parīci
• Mānasa-putras (mind-born sons)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it presents tapas (austerity) as the means by which even Brahmā stabilizes creation—implying that realization and cosmic order depend on disciplined inward power aligned with the Supreme reality that sustains all beings.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Tapas is highlighted—an ascetic-yogic discipline involving restraint, concentration, and sustained spiritual effort. In the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching style, such tapas functions as a foundational limb supporting higher yogic absorption and dharmic governance.

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

By placing the teaching in Lord Kūrma’s voice while describing Brahmā’s tapas, it reflects the Purāṇa’s integrative theology: cosmic functions (creation, austerity, grace) are narrated through a Vaiṣṇava avatāra while remaining compatible with Śaiva-yogic ideals like tapas central to Pāśupata-oriented spirituality.