Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46

Sūrya-vaṃśa Genealogy and the Supremacy of Tapas: Gāyatrī-Japa, Rudra-Darśana, and Śatarudrīya Upadeśa

Devanagari script

त्वं तु धर्मरतो नित्यं पालयैतदतन्द्रितः / चातुर्वर्ण्यसमायुक्तमशेषं क्षितिमण्डलम्

Transliteration

tvaṃ tu dharmarato nityaṃ pālayaitadatandritaḥ / cāturvarṇyasamāyuktamaśeṣaṃ kṣitimaṇḍalam

Translation

But you, ever devoted to dharma, should guard and govern—without negligence—this entire circle of the earth, duly ordered according to the four varṇas.

Word by Word

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun (सर्वनाम), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• tu: but/indeed
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya (अव्यय), adversative/contrast particle

• dharma-rataḥ: devoted to righteousness
• dharma-rataḥ: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + rata (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: ‘devoted to dharma’ (धर्मे रतः)

• nityam: always
• nityam: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nitya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya usage (क्रियाविशेषणरूपेण), adverb ‘always’

• pālaya: protect/govern
• pālaya: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √pāl (धातु)
• Form: Verb; Imperative (लोट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular

• etat: this
• etat: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; refers to kṣitimaṇḍalam

• atandritaḥ: unwearied, vigilant
• atandritaḥ: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (उपसर्ग/नञ्) + tandrita (कृदन्त)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; negative adjective ‘not negligent’

• cāturvarṇya-samāyuktam: endowed with the four social orders
• cāturvarṇya-samāyuktam: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: cāturvarṇya (प्रातिपदिक) + samāyukta (कृदन्त)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: ‘endowed with the four varṇas’ (चातुर्वर्ण्येन समायुक्तम्)

• aśeṣam: entire
• aśeṣam: Visheshana (विशेषणम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + śeṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; ‘entire/without remainder’

• kṣiti-maṇḍalam: the whole earth-realm
• kṣiti-maṇḍalam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kṣiti (प्रातिपदिक) + maṇḍala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; Tatpuruṣa: ‘circle/realm of the earth’ (क्षितेः मण्डलम्)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing King Indradyumna

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Indradyumna
• Dharma
• Chaturvarnya
• Kshitimandala

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames righteous kingship as alignment with dharma—an outer expression of inner order—rather than offering an explicit Atman doctrine in this verse.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific meditative technique is taught here; the discipline emphasized is atandratā (vigilant, steady attention), a yogic quality applied to rajadharma—self-control and sustained responsibility in protecting society.

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

The verse itself is administrative and dharmic; within the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, such dharma-instruction from Vishnu (Kurma) supports the same cosmic order upheld in Shaiva traditions, presenting governance as service to one overarching dharma.