Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 55

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

Devanagari script

निर्वेदाज्जायते तेषां दुः खमोक्षविचारणा / विचारणाच्च वैराग्यं वैराग्याद् दोषदर्शनम्

Transliteration

nirvedājjāyate teṣāṃ duḥ khamokṣavicāraṇā / vicāraṇācca vairāgyaṃ vairāgyād doṣadarśanam

Translation

Du nirveda naît en eux la réflexion sur la souffrance et la mokṣa (délivrance) ; de cette réflexion surgit le vairāgya (détachement), et du détachement naît le doṣa-darśana, la claire perception des fautes de la vie mondaine.

Word by Word

• निर्वेदात्: from dispassion
• निर्वेदात्: Apadana/Hetu (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निर्वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे

• जायते: arises
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• दुःख-मोक्ष-विचारणा: reflection on suffering and liberation
• दुःख-मोक्ष-विचारणा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दुःख (प्रातिपदिक) + मोक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + विचारणा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (दुःखस्य मोक्षस्य च विचारणा)

• विचारणात्: from reflection
• विचारणात्: Apadana/Hetu (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विचारण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• वैराग्यम्: detachment
• वैराग्यम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैराग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• वैराग्यात्: from detachment
• वैराग्यात्: Apadana/Hetu (अपादान/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैराग्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थे

• दोष-दर्शनम्: seeing of faults
• दोष-दर्शनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दोष (प्रातिपदिक) + दर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (दोषस्य दर्शनम्)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis on the path of liberation

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Moksha
• Vairagya
• Nirveda

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By mapping the inner progression from disillusionment to inquiry and dispassion, the verse implies that liberation comes through discernment (viveka) that turns awareness away from transient defects and toward the stable reality sought as moksha—i.e., the Self beyond suffering.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes the preparatory discipline for Yoga: nirveda (turning away from compulsive enjoyment), vicāra (reflective inquiry into duḥkha and mokṣa), and vairāgya (detachment). In Kurma Purana-style sādhanā, these function as foundations for steadier meditation and devotion aligned with Pāśupata-oriented restraint and insight.

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

Though not naming Shiva directly, the verse reflects the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the same liberating discipline (vicāra and vairāgya) is valid in both Vaishnava and Shaiva frameworks, supporting a unified soteriology rather than a divisive theology.