Previous Verse
Next Verse

Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Nine Creations (Sarga), Guṇa-Streams of Beings, and Brahmā’s Progeny in Cyclic Time

वैकारिकस्तृतीयस्तु सर्ग ऐन्द्रियकः स्मृतः / इत्येष प्राकृतः सर्गः संभूतो ऽबुद्धिपूर्वकः

vaikārikastṛtīyastu sarga aindriyakaḥ smṛtaḥ / ityeṣa prākṛtaḥ sargaḥ saṃbhūto 'buddhipūrvakaḥ

La troisième émanation est dite vaikārika, la création transformatrice, connue comme aindriyaka : la genèse des sens (indriyas). Ainsi, c’est une création prākṛta, née de Prakṛti, surgissant non d’une délibération de l’intellect, mais spontanément de la nature primordiale.

वैकारिकःpertaining to vikāra (modification)
वैकारिकः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootvaikārika (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying ‘sargaḥ’
तृतीयःthird
तृतीयः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roottṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying (implied) ‘sargaḥ’
तुindeed/and
तु:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात)
सर्गःcreation
सर्गः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
ऐन्द्रियकःsensory/related to the organs
ऐन्द्रियकः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootaindriyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying ‘sargaḥ’; ‘pertaining to the senses’
स्मृतःis called/remembered as
स्मृतः:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsmṛ (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootiti (अव्यय)
FormQuotative particle (निपात)
एषःthis
एषः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootetad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular
प्राकृतःmaterial/natural
प्राकृतः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootprākṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying ‘sargaḥ’; ‘natural/material’
सर्गःcreation
सर्गः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootsarga (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
संभूतःarisen/produced
संभूतः:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootsam-bhū (धातु)
FormPast active participle (क्त/भूतकृदन्त in active sense), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘arisen/produced’
अबुद्धिपूर्वकःwithout prior intention/deliberation
अबुद्धिपूर्वकः:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Roota-buddhi + pūrvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
FormTatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘a-buddhi-pūrvaka’ = ‘without prior deliberation’; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying ‘sargaḥ/saṃbhūtaḥ’

Sūta (narrator) describing the cosmological categories as taught in the Kurma Purana tradition

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

P
Prakṛti
I
Indriyas

FAQs

By stating that the sensory creation is prākṛta and “not preceded by intellect,” the verse implies that such evolutes belong to Prakṛti, while the Self (Ātman/Puruṣa) remains the non-acting witness distinct from material processes.

While not prescribing a practice directly, the verse supports yogic discrimination (viveka): senses and their functions are products of Prakṛti. Meditation in the Kurma tradition uses this insight to detach from indriya-driven movements and stabilize awareness in the witnessing Self/Iśvara.

Indirectly: by grounding creation in Prakṛti’s spontaneous evolution, it aligns with the Purana’s synthesizing theology where the one Supreme Iśvara—revered as Hari and Hara—presides over, yet remains beyond, the prākṛta sarga.