Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 56
Madhu–Kaiṭabha, Nārāyaṇa’s Yoga-Nidrā, Rudra’s Manifestation, and the Aṣṭamūrti–Trimūrti Teaching
भूमिरापो ऽनलो वायुर्व्योमाहङ्कार एव च / यस्य रूपं नमस्यामि भवन्तं ब्रह्मसंज्ञितम्
bhūmirāpo 'nalo vāyurvyomāhaṅkāra eva ca / yasya rūpaṃ namasyāmi bhavantaṃ brahmasaṃjñitam
La terre, l’eau, le feu, le vent, l’espace, et même l’ego-sens (ahaṃkāra) : telle est Sa forme. Je me prosterne devant Toi, connu sous le nom de Brahman.
Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching in the Ishvara Gita context
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It identifies Brahman as the underlying reality whose manifestation appears as the elemental cosmos and even the ego-principle, implying the Self is not limited to a body but pervades and transcends all tattvas.
The verse supports tattva-dhyana: contemplative absorption where the practitioner recognizes the elements (bhūta) and ahaṅkāra as appearances of the one Brahman, aiding dis-identification from ego and stabilization of nondual awareness.
By emphasizing Brahman as the single reality beyond names and forms, it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where the supreme is one, honored through Shaiva and Vaishnava languages without contradiction.