Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 95

Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

तस्माद् ब्रह्मा महादेवो विष्णुर्विश्वेश्वरः परः / एकस्यैव स्मृतास्तिस्त्रस्तनूः कार्यवशात् प्रभोः

Transliteration

tasmād brahmā mahādevo viṣṇurviśveśvaraḥ paraḥ / ekasyaiva smṛtāstistrastanūḥ kāryavaśāt prabhoḥ

Translation

Therefore, Brahmā, Mahādeva (Śiva), and Viṣṇu—the transcendent Lord of the universe—are remembered as the three bodies (forms) of the one Supreme Master, assumed according to the demands of cosmic function.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (Avyaya), अपादानार्थक-निपातवत्; अर्थे: ‘तस्मात्’ = ‘therefore/from that’

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (Masculine), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन (Singular)

• महादेवः: Mahādeva (Śiva)
• महादेवः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महादेव (प्रातिपदिक: महा + देव)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास (महान् देवः)

• विष्णुः: Viṣṇu
• विष्णुः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• विश्वेश्वरः: Lord of the universe
• विश्वेश्वरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विश्वेश्वर (प्रातिपदिक: विश्व + ईश्वर)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (विश्वस्य ईश्वरः)

• परः: supreme
• परः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• एकस्य: of the one
• एकस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन; ‘प्रभोः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Avadhāraṇa (अवधारण/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारणार्थक-निपात (particle of emphasis)

• स्मृताः: are remembered/considered
• स्मृताः: Kriyā (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + त (क्त-प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मणि-भावः: ‘are remembered/are considered’

• तिस्रः: three
• तिस्रः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘तनूः’ इत्यस्य विशेषण

• तनूः: forms/bodies
• तनूः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• कार्यवशात्: due to the compulsion of action/for the sake of function
• कार्यवशात्: Hetu (हेतु/Reason)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: कार्यवश (प्रातिपदिक: कार्य + वश)
• Form: अव्यय (तसिल्/ablatival adverbial), हेत्वर्थे; तत्पुरुष-समास (कार्यस्य वशः → कार्यवश) + तसिल् ‘-āt’

• प्रभोः: of the Lord
• प्रभोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), एकवचन

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing the sages/Indradyumna-context on the unity of Īśvara

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Mahādeva (Śiva)
• Viṣṇu
• Viśveśvara (Supreme Lord)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents one supreme Prabhu/Īśvara as the single ultimate reality, while Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Mahādeva are described as functional manifestations—implying unity at the highest level and diversity only in role-based expression.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse is doctrinal rather than procedural: it supports Īśvara-centered contemplation (Īśvara-dhyāna) by directing the meditator to see the one Lord behind multiple divine forms—an important foundation for Pāśupata/Īśvara-oriented Yoga taught elsewhere in the Kūrma tradition.

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

Śiva (Mahādeva) and Viṣṇu are not rival absolutes here; they are two of the three tanūḥ (forms) of the one Supreme Lord, differentiated by cosmic function rather than by ultimate essence.