Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

Dakṣa’s Progeny, Nṛsiṃha–Varāha Avatāras, and Andhaka’s Defeat

Hari–Hara–Śakti Synthesis

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा पराहतं त्वस्त्रं प्रह्रादो भाग्यगौरवात् / मेने सर्वात्मकं देवं वासुदेवं सनातनम्

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā parāhataṃ tvastraṃ prahrādo bhāgyagauravāt / mene sarvātmakaṃ devaṃ vāsudevaṃ sanātanam

Translation

Voyant l’arme de Tvaṣṭṛ réduite à l’impuissance, Prahlāda—par le poids de sa fortune bénie—reconnut l’éternel Vāsudeva comme le Dieu, Soi intime demeurant en tous les êtres.

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (पूर्वकर्म/absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (Gerund/absolutive), ‘having seen’

• पर-आहतम्: repelled, struck back
• पर-आहतम्: विशेषण (of ‘अस्त्रम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + आहत (कृदन्त; √हन्)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: परेण आहतम् (struck/repelled by another)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: सम्बन्ध (discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/विरोध-अव्यय (particle: but/indeed); अत्र ‘त्व्’ संधि-पूर्वरूप

• अस्त्रम्: weapon, missile
• अस्त्रम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘दृष्ट्वा’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रह्रादः: Prahlāda
• प्रह्रादः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रह्राद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• भाग्य-गौरवात्: due to the greatness of (his) good fortune
• भाग्य-गौरवात्: हेतु (Hetu/Cause)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भाग्य (प्रातिपदिक) + गौरव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: भाग्यस्य गौरवम् (the greatness of fortune)

• मेने: considered, deemed
• मेने: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मन् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सर्व-आत्मकम्: all-pervading, having all as his self
• सर्व-आत्मकम्: विशेषण (of ‘देवम्’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: सर्वः आत्मा यस्य (whose self is all / all-pervading)

• देवम्: the god
• देवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object of ‘मेने’)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वासुदेवम्: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object; appositive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन (apposition to ‘देवम्’)

• सनातनम्: eternal
• सनातनम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सनातन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषण (of ‘देवम्/वासुदेवम्’)

Speaker

Narrator (Purana’s Suta/Vyasa-style narration describing Prahlada’s realization)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Prahlada
• Vasudeva
• Tvastri
• Astra (divine weapon)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies Vāsudeva as sarvātmaka—present as the indwelling Self of all—so the Supreme is not merely a distant deity but the inner reality pervading every being.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to jñāna born of anugraha (grace) and steady devotion: recognizing the Lord as the inner Self (sarvātmabhāva) is a core contemplative stance aligned with Purāṇic yoga and the Kurma tradition’s theistic non-dualism.

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

By stressing one eternal Supreme as the Self of all, it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthesis: sectarian forms differ, yet the highest reality is one—allowing Shaiva and Vaishnava worship to converge in the same sarvātmaka Ishvara.