Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46

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

Devanagari script

तस्माद् देवासुराः सर्वे मनवो मानवास्तथा / उपासते तदा युक्ता रात्र्यह्नोर्मध्यमां तनुम्

Transliteration

tasmād devāsurāḥ sarve manavo mānavāstathā / upāsate tadā yuktā rātryahnormadhyamāṃ tanum

Translation

Ainsi, tous les dieux et les asuras, les Manus et les hommes également—lorsqu’ils sont dûment disciplinés—adorent en ce moment la « forme médiane » (madhyamā tanu) qui se tient entre la nuit et le jour.

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore; from that (cause)
• तस्मात्: Hetu (हेतु/कारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तस्मात् इति पञ्चमी-एकवचनरूपं (Ablative singular) अव्ययीभावेन कारणार्थे (causal sense)

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन

• असुराः: asuras/demons
• असुराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असुर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• मनवः: Manus
• मनवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• मानवाः: humans/men
• मानवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मानव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• तथा: likewise; also
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/तुल्यतार्थक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb: likewise/also)

• उपासते: they worship/attend upon
• उपासते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: उप-आस् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/काल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• युक्ताः: engaged; intent
• युक्ताः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: युक्त (कृदन्त; युज् धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (engaged/intent)

• रात्र्यह्नोः: of night and day
• रात्र्यह्नोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रात्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + अहन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (रात्रि+अहन्), षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), द्विवचन (dual)

• मध्यमाम्: middle
• मध्यमाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मध्यम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• तनुम्: body/form
• तनुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तनु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Purāṇic teaching on proper worship-times and yogic discipline

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Devas
• Asuras
• Manus
• Humans (Mānavas)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By pointing to the “middle form” between night and day, the verse gestures to a liminal, steady principle beyond changing opposites—an apt symbol for the Atman/Ishvara as the unifying reality amid dualities.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes upāsanā performed by the yuktāḥ (disciplined practitioners) at sandhyā—twilight junctions—when the mind is naturally suited for dhyāna, japa, and contemplative worship aligned with Yoga-śāstra discipline.

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

Rather than naming one sectarian deity, it frames worship of a single “madhyamā tanu” beyond opposites, supporting the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where Śiva and Viṣṇu are approached as converging expressions of one supreme principle.