Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 35

Yuga-Dharma: The Four Ages, Decline of Dharma, and the Rise of Social Order

Devanagari script

ततः कालान्तरेणैव पुनर्लोभावृतास्तदा / वृक्षांस्तान् पर्यगृह्णन्त मधु चामाक्षिकं बलात्

Transliteration

tataḥ kālāntareṇaiva punarlobhāvṛtāstadā / vṛkṣāṃstān paryagṛhṇanta madhu cāmākṣikaṃ balāt

Translation

Puis, après quelque temps, ils furent de nouveau enveloppés par la convoitise ; ils encerclèrent ces arbres et, par la force, s’emparèrent du miel et de sa réserve.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/sequence marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb

• kāla-antareṇa: after some time, with the lapse of time
• kāla-antareṇa: Kala (काल/temporal adjunct)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kāla (प्रातिपदिक) + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; Neuter, Instrumental (3rd), Singular

• eva: indeed
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, emphatic particle

• punar: again
• punar: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/repetition marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: punar (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb

• lobha-āvṛtāḥ: covered/overcome by greed
• lobha-āvṛtāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: lobha (प्रातिपदिक) + āvṛta (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa compound; āvṛta = PPP (क्त) of ā-√vṛ; Feminine, Nominative (1st), Plural; agrees with prajāḥ (understood)

• tadā: at that time
• tadā: Kala (काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, temporal adverb

• vṛkṣān: trees
• vṛkṣān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vṛkṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• tān: those
• tān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural

• paryagṛhṇanta: they seized, took hold of
• paryagṛhṇanta: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pari-√grah (धातु)
• Form: Laṅ (लङ्, imperfect past), Parasmaipada, 3rd person, Plural

• madhu: honey
• madhu: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: madhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya, conjunction

• amākṣikam: bee-less (not from bees)
• amākṣikam: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + mākṣika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Negative adjective (नञ्); Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; qualifies madhu

• balāt: by force, forcibly
• balāt: Hetu (हेतु/cause-manner adjunct)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; idiomatic adverbial use

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Purāṇic account to the sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Greed (lobha)
• Trees (vṛkṣa)
• Bees (makṣikā)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: by showing how greed clouds discernment, the verse points to the need for inner clarity (viveka) through which the Atman is recognized as distinct from compulsive desire.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse implies the foundational yogic discipline of yama—especially aparigraha (non-grasping) and ahiṃsā (non-harm)—since uncontrolled lobha drives forceful taking and spiritual decline.

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

It does not explicitly mention Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; however, its moral thrust aligns with the Kurma Purana’s shared Shaiva–Vaishnava dharma framework where restraint and non-violence support devotion to the one Supreme Lord.