Shloka 122

Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

Devanagari script

एतत् पुराणं परमं भाषितं कूर्मरूपिणा / साक्षाद् देवादिदेनेन विष्णुना विश्वयोनिना

Transliteration

etat purāṇaṃ paramaṃ bhāṣitaṃ kūrmarūpiṇā / sākṣād devādidenena viṣṇunā viśvayoninā

Translation

Este Purāṇa, supremo entre las enseñanzas sagradas, fue pronunciado por Aquel que asumió la forma de la Tortuga (Kūrma): por el propio Viṣṇu, Dios de dioses, fuente directa de la que nace el universo.

Word by Word

• etat: this
• etat: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (एतद् सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र प्रथमा (as subject with purāṇam)

• purāṇam: Purāṇa
• purāṇam: Karta (कर्ता/subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: purāṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• paramam: supreme
• paramam: Karta (कर्ता; qualifier of purāṇam)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• bhāṣitam: was spoken
• bhāṣitam: Kriya (क्रिया; predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhāṣ (भाष् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि-भाव (was spoken)

• kūrma-rūpiṇā: by (one) in tortoise-form
• kūrma-rūpiṇā: Karana (करण/instrument/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kūrma (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpin (रूपिन् प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कूर्मरूपः यस्य/कूर्मरूपेण); पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (instrumental, 3rd), एकवचन

• sākṣāt: directly
• sākṣāt: Kriya-vishesana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: sākṣāt (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण/निपात (directly, in person)

• deva-ādi-denena: by the primordial lord of the gods
• deva-ādi-denena: Karana (करण/instrument/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + dena (देन प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन; 'देवादिदेन' = देव-आदि-देवेन (intended sense: by the primordial god among gods)

• viṣṇunā: by Viṣṇu
• viṣṇunā: Karana (करण/instrument/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

• viśva-yoninā: by the source of the universe
• viśva-yoninā: Karana (करण/instrument/agent in passive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक) + yoni (योनि प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) / Purāṇic voice affirming the text’s divine authorship (Kurma = Viṣṇu)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Vishnu

More Details (5 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling Viṣṇu “viśvayoni” (source of the universe) and “deva-ādi-deva” (primordial Lord), the verse points to the Supreme as the direct, transcendent origin behind all manifestation—consistent with Purāṇic non-dual theism where the highest reality is both immanent cause and sovereign Lord.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific practice is prescribed in this verse; instead it establishes authority: the teachings (including later Yoga and dharma instructions such as Pāśupata-oriented discipline and devotion) are validated as directly spoken by the Lord in Kurma form.

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

While Śiva is not named here, the verse frames Kurma/Viṣṇu as the supreme divine teacher—supporting the Kurma Purāṇa’s broader synthesis where the same highest reality is praised through both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva idioms, grounding later unity teachings in the text’s divine origin.