Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30
Prākṛta Sṛṣṭi and Pralaya: From Pradhāna to Brahmāṇḍa; Trimūrti Samanvaya
रूपं तथैवाविशतः शब्दस्पर्शौ गुणावुभौ / त्रिगुणः स्यात् ततो वह्निः स शब्दस्पर्शरूपवान्
rūpaṃ tathaivāviśataḥ śabdasparśau guṇāvubhau / triguṇaḥ syāt tato vahniḥ sa śabdasparśarūpavān
Then form (rūpa) likewise entered, together with the two qualities—sound and touch. Thus it became threefold in qualities, and from that arose Vahni (fire), endowed with sound, touch, and form.
Sūta (narrating the Purāṇic teaching of creation as taught by sages in the Kurma Purana tradition)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
Indirectly: it describes prakṛti’s elemental evolution through guṇas and qualities; the Atman/Iśvara is implied as the witnessing, transcendent principle distinct from these changing tattvas.
This verse itself is cosmological, but it supports tattva-viveka (discriminative contemplation): meditating on how elements arise with specific qualities helps detach awareness from sensory attributes (sound, touch, form), a foundation for Purāṇic Yoga disciplines.
Not explicitly; it contributes to the shared metaphysical ground used by both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava teachings in the Kurma Purana—cosmic evolution is presented as a universal framework within which devotion to either form of Iśvara is harmonized.