Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 13

Puṣkara-dvīpa, Lokāloka, and the Measure of the Brahmāṇḍa

Cosmic Egg

Devanagari script

योजनानां सहस्त्राणि दश तस्योच्छ्रयः स्मृतः / तावानेव च विस्तारो लोकालोको महागिरिः

Transliteration

yojanānāṃ sahastrāṇi daśa tasyocchrayaḥ smṛtaḥ / tāvāneva ca vistāro lokāloko mahāgiriḥ

Translation

On rapporte que la grande montagne Lokāloka s’élève à dix mille yojanas; et sa largeur est exactement de même mesure.

Word by Word

• योजनानाम्: of yojanas
• योजनानाम्: सम्बन्ध (measure relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), बहुवचन

• सहस्त्राणि: thousands
• सहस्त्राणि: कर्ता (Karta; subject of nominal sentence)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक-नाम

• दश: ten
• दश: विशेषण (qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दशन् (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्याशब्दः; (indeclinable-like) प्रथमा-बहुवचनार्थे ‘ten’ (qualifies ‘सहस्त्राणि’)

• तस्य: of it
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (Sambandha)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• उच्छ्रयः: height
• उच्छ्रयः: कर्ता (Karta; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उत् + श्रि (धातु) → उच्छ्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘height/elevation’

• स्मृतः: is stated
• स्मृतः: क्रिया (Kriyā; predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (PPP), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘is said/remembered’

• तावान्: so much, that much
• तावान्: विशेषण (qualifies ‘विस्तारः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परिमाणवाचक विशेषण

• एव: just, indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध/अन्वय
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (emphasis)

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

• विस्तारः: breadth, extent
• विस्तारः: कर्ता (Karta; subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्तार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• लोकालोकः: Lokāloka
• लोकालोकः: सम्बन्ध/अभेद (apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोक + अलोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नाम (proper)

• महागिरिः: the great mountain
• महागिरिः: सम्बन्ध/अभेद (apposition to Lokāloka)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + गिरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास: ‘महान् गिरिः’; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (traditional narrator) describing Puranic cosmography to the sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Lokāloka
• Yojana

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse does not directly teach ātma-tattva; it provides a cosmographic measure, supporting the Purāṇic vision of an ordered universe within which dharma and liberation-teachings (elsewhere in the Kurma Purana, including the Ishvara Gita) are situated.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yoga practice is stated in this verse. Indirectly, such cosmological descriptions function as contemplative supports (dhyāna-upakaraṇa) in Purāṇic tradition—prompting reflection on the vastness and structure of creation that is governed by Īśvara.

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

This verse is neutral on Shiva–Vishnu synthesis; it focuses on sacred geography. The Kurma Purana’s broader teaching harmonizes Shaiva and Vaishnava perspectives, but that theme is not explicit in this particular shloka.