Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 6

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

Devanagari script

संदर्शनाद् वै भवतः शोको मे विपुलो गतः / इदानीं मम यत् कार्यं ब्रूहि पद्मदलेक्षण

Transliteration

saṃdarśanād vai bhavataḥ śoko me vipulo gataḥ / idānīṃ mama yat kāryaṃ brūhi padmadalekṣaṇa

Translation

Vraiment, en te voyant, mon immense chagrin s’est évanoui. Dis-moi maintenant ce que je dois accomplir, ô toi dont les yeux sont comme des pétales de lotus.

Word by Word

• संदर्शनात्: from (your) sight/seeing
• संदर्शनात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संदर्शन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन; हेतौ (cause)

• वै: indeed
• वै: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), अवधानार्थ/खल्वर्थे (indeed)

• भवतः: of you (honorific)
• भवतः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन; आदरार्थे सर्वनाम-प्रयोग

• शोकः: grief
• शोकः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• मे: my
• मे: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-चतुर्थी एकवचनरूप (Genitive/Dative enclitic); अत्र षष्ठी (my)

• विपुलः: great, abundant
• विपुलः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विपुल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणं ‘शोकः’

• गतः: has gone, has ceased
• गतः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त/PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘शोकः ... गतः’ = has gone/ceased

• इदानीम्: now
• इदानीम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इदानीम् (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)

• मम: of me, my
• मम: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• यत्: what
• यत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; अत्र ‘कर्म’/‘विषय’ सूचयति

• कार्यम्: duty, task
• कार्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कार्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘यत् कार्यम्’ = what is to be done

• ब्रूहि: tell (me)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट्-लकार (Imperative/आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• पद्मदल-ईक्षण: O lotus-petal-eyed one
• पद्मदल-ईक्षण: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद्मदल (प्रातिपदिक) + ईक्षण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन-प्रथमा (Vocative/सम्बोधन), पुंलिङ्ग, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (पद्मदलस्य इक्षणम् यस्य)

Speaker

A devotee/petitioner addressing Lord Vishnu (Kurma) in reverential dialogue

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Padmadalekshana (Vishnu/Kurma)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that direct encounter with the Lord (darśana) dispels inner grief, pointing to the Supreme as the remover of avidyā-born sorrow and the ground of peace within.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds darśana and śaraṇāgati (turning to the Lord for direction), which in the Kurma Purana’s yoga-ethos supports disciplined practice: calming the mind, receiving instruction, and aligning action with dharma.

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

By addressing the Lord as the compassionate guide who removes sorrow and directs right action, it fits the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology where the one Supreme is praised through Vaiṣṇava epithets while harmonizing with Śaiva yogic-dharmic instruction.