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Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 54

Virocana–Bali, Aditi’s Tapas, and the Vāmana–Trivikrama Episode

आक्रम्य लोकत्रयमीशपादः प्राजापत्याद् ब्रह्मलोकं जगाम / प्रणेमुरादित्यसहस्त्रकल्पं ये तत्र लोके निवसन्ति सिद्धाः

ākramya lokatrayamīśapādaḥ prājāpatyād brahmalokaṃ jagāma / praṇemurādityasahastrakalpaṃ ye tatra loke nivasanti siddhāḥ

Après avoir parcouru les trois mondes, le Seigneur—dont les pieds sont souverains—quitta le monde de Prajāpati et parvint au séjour de Brahmā. Là, les Siddhas qui demeurent en ce monde se prosternèrent devant Lui, l’Éternel, éclatant comme mille soleils et dont l’âge se mesure aux cycles cosmiques (kalpa).

ākramyahaving stepped over/after traversing
ākramya:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Rootā-√kram (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यप्), from ā-√kram; indeclinable verbal form; action prior to main verb
loka-trayamthe three worlds
loka-trayam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootloka (प्रातिपदिक) + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; dvigu compound meaning ‘three worlds’
īśa-pādaḥthe Lord’s feet (as subject/epithet)
īśa-pādaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootīśa (प्रातिपदिक) + pāda (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: ‘of the Lord (īśa) [the] foot/feet’ used as a name/epithet
prājāpatyātfrom the Prajāpati-region
prājāpatyāt:
Apādāna (अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootprājāpatya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; source/origin
brahma-lokamto Brahmā’s world
brahma-lokam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootbrahman (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘world of Brahmā’
jagāmawent
jagāma:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√gam (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)
praṇemuḥbowed down
praṇemuḥ:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootpra-√nam (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)
āditya-sahasra-kalpam(him) like a thousand-sun kalpa
āditya-sahasra-kalpam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootāditya (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक) + kalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; multi-member tatpuruṣa: ‘a kalpa of a thousand suns’ (as a measure/epithet)
yewho
ye:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormRelative pronoun; Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
tatrathere
tatra:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottatra (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)
lokein the world
loke:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootloka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Singular (एकवचन)
nivasantidwell
nivasanti:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootni-√vas (धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन)
siddhāḥthe Siddhas (perfected beings)
siddhāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsiddha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)

Purāṇic narrator (Sūta/Ṛṣi narration in the Kurma Purana’s storyline context)

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Ī
Īśa (the Lord)
P
Prajāpati
B
Brahmaloka (realm of Brahmā)
S
Siddhas
L
Lokatraya (three worlds)

FAQs

By portraying Īśa as transcending the three worlds and being revered even in Brahmaloka, the verse implies a Supreme reality beyond ordinary cosmic hierarchy—one whom even perfected Siddhas recognize as higher than all lokas.

The verse foregrounds the Siddhas—beings perfected through tapas, dhyāna, and yogic accomplishment—whose defining act here is praṇāma (reverent surrender). In Kurma Purana’s spiritual tone, yogic attainment culminates in devotion and recognition of Īśvara’s supremacy.

Using the broad title Īśa and emphasizing the Lord’s supremacy acknowledged by Siddhas, the verse supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology: the highest Lord (Īśvara) is one, approached through Shaiva-Vaishnava idioms without contradiction.