Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 48

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

Devanagari script

वर्णाश्रमव्यवस्थां च त्रेतायां कृतवान् प्रभुः / यज्ञप्रवर्तनं चैव पशुहिंसाविवर्जितम्

Transliteration

varṇāśramavyavasthāṃ ca tretāyāṃ kṛtavān prabhuḥ / yajñapravartanaṃ caiva paśuhiṃsāvivarjitam

Translation

À l’âge de Tretā, le Seigneur institua l’ordre des varṇa et des āśrama; et Il mit aussi en mouvement la pratique du yajña, exempte de la violence du meurtre des animaux.

Word by Word

• वर्ण-आश्रम-व्यवस्थाम्: the system of varṇas and āśramas
• वर्ण-आश्रम-व्यवस्थाम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ण (प्रातिपदिक) + आश्रम (प्रातिपदिक) + व्यवस्था (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वर्णानां आश्रमाणां च व्यवस्था); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• त्रेतायाम्: in the Tretā (age)
• त्रेतायाम्: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location-time)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रेता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; अधिकरणे (in/at)

• कृतवान्: did/established
• कृतवान्: क्रिया/कर्ता-सम्बन्ध (Predicative to subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्तवत्-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past active participle); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोग (active)

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• यज्ञ-प्रवर्तनम्: the initiation of sacrifice
• यज्ञ-प्रवर्तनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यज्ञ (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रवर्तन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (यज्ञस्य प्रवर्तनम्); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: सम्बन्ध (Emphasis particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• पशु-हिंसा-विवर्जितम्: devoid of animal-violence
• पशु-हिंसा-विवर्जितम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पशु (प्रातिपदिक) + हिंसा (प्रातिपदिक) + विवर्जित (कृदन्त, वि+वृज्/वर्ज्-धातु)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास; विवर्जित = क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (agreeing with यज्ञप्रवर्तनम्)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vishnu) speaking in Purāṇic discourse to the inquiring sages (context of dharma and yuga-order)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Prabhu (Īśvara)
• Varṇāśrama
• Tretā-yuga
• Yajña

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme Lord (Īśvara) as the conscious ordainer of dharma—establishing varṇāśrama and yajña—implying a governing, intelligent principle behind cosmic and ethical order rather than a random social convention.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

While not naming a specific yoga technique, the verse foregrounds the ethical and ritual discipline that supports yoga: regulated life (varṇāśrama) and purified worship (yajña) grounded in ahiṃsā, which aligns with the Kurma Purana’s broader emphasis on inner purification preceding higher yogic realization.

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

By portraying the Lord as the source of dharma, it fits the Kurma Purana’s synthesizing stance in which the single Īśvara—revered through both Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva lenses—institutes righteous order and non-violent worship as a shared foundation for liberation.