Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30
Meru-Topography: Cities of Brahmā and the Dikpālas; Descent of Gaṅgā; Varṣa-Lotus and Boundary Mountains
पूर्वेण सीता शैलात् तु शैलं यात्यन्तरिक्षतः / ततश्च पूर्ववर्षेण भद्राश्वेनैति चार्णवम्
pūrveṇa sītā śailāt tu śailaṃ yātyantarikṣataḥ / tataśca pūrvavarṣeṇa bhadrāśvenaiti cārṇavam
Vers l’est, depuis la montagne Sītā, la chaîne (Sītā) progresse à travers le ciel médian; puis, traversant la contrée orientale, Bhadrāśva-varṣa, elle atteint l’océan.
Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s cosmography as taught in the tradition of Lord Kūrma)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
This verse is primarily cosmographic, mapping sacred space rather than directly defining Ātman; in the Kurma Purana’s broader vision, such ordered geography reflects ṛta/dharma—an external counterpart to inner spiritual order realized through Self-knowledge.
No explicit yoga practice is taught in this verse; it belongs to a descriptive section on varṣas and mountain ranges. In the Kurma Purana, such cosmography often serves as a contemplative framework (dhyāna-support) for seeing the world as structured by dharma, complementing later yoga teachings (including Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis and Pāśupata-oriented disciplines).
The verse itself does not mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; however, within the Kurma Purana’s integrated theology, cosmographic narration is part of the same sacred discourse that later harmonizes Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava teachings—presenting one dharmic order expressed through multiple divine forms.