Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 4

Viṣṇu at Upamanyu’s Āśrama: Pāśupata Tapas, Darśana of Śiva, and Boons from Devī

Devanagari script

तपत्त्रिराजमारूढः सुपर्णमतितेजसम् / शङ्खचक्रगदापाणिः श्रीवत्सकृतलक्षणः

Transliteration

tapattrirājamārūḍhaḥ suparṇamatitejasam / śaṅkhacakragadāpāṇiḥ śrīvatsakṛtalakṣaṇaḥ

Translation

Monté sur le roi flamboyant des oiseaux, Garuḍa, le Suparṇa d’éclat suprême, il apparut tenant la conque, le disque et la massue, et portant sur la poitrine le signe auspicious de Śrīvatsa.

Word by Word

• तपत्: shining
• तपत्: Samāsa-pūrvapada (समास-पूर्वपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तप् (धातु) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप (stem) used as पूर्वपद in समास; अर्थः—दीप्त/तेजस्वी

• त्रिराज: Trirāja (Garuḍa)
• त्रिराज: Samāsa-pūrvapada (समास-पूर्वपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि + राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numeral compound: 'three kings' → name of Garuḍa); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (as compound member in -मारूढः)

• आरूढः: mounted
• आरूढः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: आ + रुह् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (विष्णोः/सः)

• सुपर्णम्: Garuḍa
• सुपर्णम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुपर्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• अतितेजसम्: of surpassing brilliance
• अतितेजसम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अति + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव/उपपद-तत्पुरुषभाव (intensifier 'ati' + tejas); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सुपर्णम्)

• शङ्ख: conch
• शङ्ख: Samāsa-pūrvapada (समास-पूर्वपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शङ्ख (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप used as पूर्वपद in समास

• चक्र: discus
• चक्र: Samāsa-pūrvapada (समास-पूर्वपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप used as पूर्वपद in समास

• गदा: mace
• गदा: Samāsa-pūrvapada (समास-पूर्वपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गदा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप used as पूर्वपद in समास

• पाणिः: hand
• पाणिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहौ उत्तरपद

• शङ्खचक्रगदापाणिः: having conch, discus and mace in hand
• शङ्खचक्रगदापाणिः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शङ्ख + चक्र + गदा + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (possessive: 'one whose hands bear conch, discus, mace'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सः)

• श्रीवत्स: Śrīvatsa mark
• श्रीवत्स: Samāsa-pūrvapada (समास-पूर्वपद)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्रीवत्स (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रातिपदिक-रूप used as पूर्वपद in समास

• कृत: made/formed
• कृत: Samāsa-pūrvapada (समास-पूर्वपद)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), प्रातिपदिक-रूप used as पूर्वपद in समास

• लक्षणः: mark/sign
• लक्षणः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहौ उत्तरपद

• श्रीवत्सकृतलक्षणः: bearing the Śrīvatsa mark
• श्रीवत्सकृतलक्षणः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीवत्स + कृत + लक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि (possessive: 'one whose mark is made as Śrīvatsa/one marked with Śrīvatsa'); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (सः)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration, describing the Lord’s appearance to the devotees/sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Garuda (Suparna)
• Shankha
• Chakra
• Gada
• Shrivatsa
• Shri (Lakshmi)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By portraying Nārāyaṇa as supremely radiant and marked with Śrīvatsa, the verse points to the Supreme as self-luminous (svayaṃ-prakāśa) and auspicious—recognized through divine attributes while remaining the transcendent ground of all.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports dhyāna-yoga through iconographic contemplation: meditating on the Lord mounted on Garuḍa, holding śaṅkha-cakra-gadā, and bearing Śrīvatsa—an aid to one-pointedness (ekāgratā) and devotional absorption aligned with Purāṇic yoga.

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

While explicitly Vaiṣṇava in imagery, the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis treats such divine form-descriptions as valid gateways to the one Supreme Lord revered also as Śiva—supporting a non-sectarian, unity-oriented (abheda) devotional reading.