Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18
Prākṛta Sṛṣṭi and Pralaya: From Pradhāna to Brahmāṇḍa; Trimūrti Samanvaya
वैकारिकस्तैजसश्च भूतादिश्चैव तामसः / त्रिविधो ऽयमहङ्कारो महतः संबभूव ह
vaikārikastaijasaśca bhūtādiścaiva tāmasaḥ / trividho 'yamahaṅkāro mahataḥ saṃbabhūva ha
From Mahat, cosmic intelligence, arose this threefold Ahaṅkāra, the ego-principle: the sāttvika called Vaikārika, the rājasa called Taijasa, and the tāmasa known as Bhūtādi.
Sūta (narrating the Purāṇic teaching to the sages, in a Sāṅkhya-informed creation context)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It distinguishes the evolutes of Prakṛti—Mahat and the threefold Ahaṅkāra—from the Self; the Atman/Iśvara is implied as the witnessing principle beyond these guṇa-born categories.
The verse supports guṇa-analysis used in Yoga: by discerning sāttvika, rājasa, and tāmasa movements of ego, one cultivates sattva (vaikārika) and restrains rajas/tamas—an inner discipline aligned with Kurma Purana’s yogic and Pāśupata-oriented purification.
Indirectly: it presents a shared sāṃkhya-yogic metaphysics commonly employed by both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava teachings in the Kurma Purana, providing a neutral tattva-map upon which devotion to either form of Īśvara is grounded.