Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 4

Īśvara-gītā: The Supreme Lord as Brahman, the Source of Creation, and the Inner Self

Devanagari script

प्रधानं पुरुषो ह्यत्मा महान् भूतादिरेव च / तन्मात्राणि महाभूतानीन्द्रियाणि च जज्ञिरे

Transliteration

pradhānaṃ puruṣo hyatmā mahān bhūtādireva ca / tanmātrāṇi mahābhūtānīndriyāṇi ca jajñire

Translation

Pradhāna (primordial Nature), Puruṣa (the conscious principle), the Self (Ātman), Mahān (Mahat, the Great principle), and bhūtādi (the origin of the elements) came forth; and from that arose the tanmātras (subtle elements), the mahābhūtas (great gross elements), and the indriyas (sense-faculties).

Word by Word

• प्रधानम्: Pradhāna (primordial matter)
• प्रधानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुरुषः: Puruṣa (spirit/person)
• पुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• हि: indeed
• हि: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हि (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle: indeed/for)

• आत्मा: Self
• आत्मा: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• महान्: Mahat (the Great principle)
• महान्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सांख्य-तत्त्व ‘महान्’ (Mahat)

• भूतादिः: origin of beings/elements
• भूतादिः: Pradhāna-predicative (विधेय/Predicate nominative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: भूतानाम् आदिः (origin of beings/elements)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/emphasis)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• तन्मात्राणि: tanmātras (subtle elements)
• तन्मात्राणि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + मात्रा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: तस्य (तत्) मात्राणि (subtle elements)

• महाभूतानि: great elements
• महाभूतानि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा + भूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: महान्ति भूतानि

• इन्द्रियाणि: sense organs
• इन्द्रियाणि: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• जज्ञिरे: were born/arose
• जज्ञिरे: Kriyā (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; √जन् (to be born/arise)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu), teaching the sages/Indradyumna on cosmology and tattva-order

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Pradhana (Prakriti)
• Purusha
• Atman
• Mahat
• Tanmatras
• Mahabhutas
• Indriyas

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It places Ātman/Puruṣa as the conscious principle distinct from Pradhāna (Nature), while describing how cosmic principles (Mahat, bhūtādi) and the sensory-elemental world unfold—supporting the yogic insight that liberation comes from discerning the Self from prakṛtic evolutes.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports tattva-viveka (discrimination of principles) used in Yoga and Pāśupata-oriented renunciation: by understanding the chain from tanmātras to indriyas and mahābhūtas, one practices detachment from sense-objects and steadies awareness in the Ātman/Puruṣa.

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

While not naming them directly, the teaching reflects the Purāṇa’s synthesizing stance: the same supreme reality can be taught by Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) using categories also central to Śaiva/Pāśupata metaphysics—one truth expressed through shared tattva-language.