Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

Time-Reckoning (Kāla-gaṇanā): Yugas, Manvantaras, Kalpas, and Prākṛta Pralaya

Devanagari script

निजेन तस्य मानेन आयुर्वर्षशतं स्मृतम् / तत् पराख्यं तदर्धं च परार्धमभिदीयते

Transliteration

nijena tasya mānena āyurvarṣaśataṃ smṛtam / tat parākhyaṃ tadardhaṃ ca parārdhamabhidīyate

Translation

By its own standard of measurement, its lifespan is remembered as a hundred years; that is called a ‘para’, its half is termed ‘tad-ardha’, and its further half is described as ‘parārdha’.

Word by Word

• निजेन: by one’s own
• निजेन: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्

• तस्य: of that
• तस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्गे षष्ठी एकवचनम्

• मानेन: by measure
• मानेन: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे तृतीया एकवचनम्; करण/प्रकार (by measure)

• आयुः: lifespan
• आयुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आयुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्

• वर्षशतम्: a hundred years
• वर्षशतम्: Viśeṣya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष + शत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; द्विगु-समास (शतं वर्षाणि)

• स्मृतम्: is stated/remembered
• स्मृतम्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृत (कृदन्त; स्मृ धातु)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) — 'is remembered/said' (with implied 'अस्ति')

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचनम्; निर्देशार्थक

• पराख्यम्: called 'parā'
• पराख्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर + आख्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; विशेषणम्; समासः—कर्मधारय (परा आख्या यस्य = having the name 'parā')

• तदर्धम्: its half
• तदर्धम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; समासः—तत्पुरुष (तस्य अर्धम् = its half)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha/Avyaya (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्ययम्; समुच्चयार्थक-निपात (conjunction)

• परार्धम्: the higher half (parārdha)
• परार्धम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर + अर्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे प्रथमा एकवचनम्; समासः—कर्मधारय (परम् अर्धम् = the higher half)

• अभिदीयते: is called/is designated
• अभिदीयते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि + दा (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकारः, प्रथमपुरुषः, एकवचनम्; कर्मणि-प्रयोगः (passive), आत्मनेपदम्

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying Purāṇic time-measure doctrine to the sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kāla (Time)
• Māna (measure)
• Āyus (lifespan)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by defining precise measures of time and lifespan, the text contrasts the measurable (kāla-bound life) with the implied transcendent reality that Yoga and jñāna aim to realize beyond time.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific practice is prescribed in this verse; it supplies the cosmological/time framework that supports disciplined sādhana—valuing human life-span and structuring vrata, japa, and yogic effort within a clear sense of kāla.

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

It does not explicitly mention Shiva or Vishnu; however, Kurma Purana’s shared cosmological vocabulary is part of the broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis where the same kāla-tattva order underlies devotion and Yoga directed to Īśvara.