Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 24

Meru-Topography: Cities of Brahmā and the Dikpālas; Descent of Gaṅgā; Varṣa-Lotus and Boundary Mountains

Devanagari script

तत्र ये भोगनिरता स्वधर्मं पुर्यपासते / तेषां तद् रचितं स्थानं नानाभोगसमन्वितम्

Transliteration

tatra ye bhoganiratā svadharmaṃ puryapāsate / teṣāṃ tad racitaṃ sthānaṃ nānābhogasamanvitam

Translation

Là, ceux qui s’attachent aux jouissances tout en accomplissant dûment leur propre svadharma—pour eux est façonné un séjour conforme, pourvu de plaisirs de maintes sortes.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative sense)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (स्थानवाचक अव्यय/adverb of place)

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक relative pronoun

• भोग-निरताः: devoted to pleasures
• भोग-निरताः: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: भोग (प्रातिपदिक) + निरत (कृदन्त, नि√रम्/रम् धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (भोगे निरताः = engaged in enjoyments)

• स्व-धर्मम्: one’s own duty
• स्व-धर्मम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (स्वस्य धर्मः)

• पुरी: in the city
• पुरी: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; अधिकरण

• अपासते: worship, serve
• अपासते: क्रिया (Kriyā/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अप√आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान/Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), बहुवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa/Determiner)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; निर्देशक (demonstrative)

• रचितम्: made, constructed
• रचितम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √रच् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; स्थानम् इति विशेषण

• स्थानम्: abode, place
• स्थानम्: कर्ता (Kartā/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• नाना-भोग-समन्वितम्: endowed with various enjoyments
• नाना-भोग-समन्वितम्: विशेषण (Viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नाना (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + भोग (प्रातिपदिक) + समन्वित (कृदन्त, सम्+अनु√इ/√वृ?; प्रचलित विशेषण-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (नानाभोगैः समन्वितम् = endowed with various enjoyments)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the sages (context of dharma and its fruits)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Vishnu
• Svadharma
• Varna-ashrama Dharma
• Bhoga

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it distinguishes worldly reward (a pleasure-filled realm) from liberation; fulfillment of svadharma yields karmic results, whereas realization of the Ātman is beyond such constructed destinations.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yogic technique is taught in this verse; it emphasizes karma-yoga’s ethical base—performing svadharma—while implying that bhoga-oriented merit leads to refined enjoyment, not the yogic goal of mokṣa.

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

By focusing on svadharma and karmic fruition—shared Purāṇic doctrine upheld across Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis—this teaching aligns with the Kurma Purana’s harmonizing stance: dharma is one, taught by the one Supreme, whether addressed as Vishnu (Kurma) or Shiva in higher sections.