Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21
Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching
Iśvara-Gītā Prelude
इदं तु पञ्चदशमं पुराणं कौर्ममुत्तमम् / चतुर्धा संस्थितं पुण्यं संहितानां प्रभेदतः
idaṃ tu pañcadaśamaṃ purāṇaṃ kaurmamuttamam / caturdhā saṃsthitaṃ puṇyaṃ saṃhitānāṃ prabhedataḥ
Ceci, en vérité, est le quinzième Purāṇa : l’excellent Kūrma Purāṇa. Selon les distinctions de ses saṃhitā, ce texte sacré est ordonné en quatre divisions.
Sūta (traditional Purāṇic narrator) describing the Kurma Purana’s classification to the sages
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
This verse is primarily classificatory: it frames the Kurma Purana as an authoritative sacred corpus arranged into four saṃhitā-divisions, rather than directly teaching Atman-doctrine.
No specific Yoga practice is taught in this line; it establishes the textual framework within which later teachings—such as Pāśupata-oriented discipline and the Ishvara Gita sections—are presented.
Indirectly: by presenting the Kurma Purana as a major, well-structured Purāṇa, it sets the stage for its characteristic Shiva–Vishnu harmony, though this specific verse focuses on organization rather than theology.