Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 52

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

Devanagari script

वयांसि वयसः सृष्ट्वा अवयो वक्षसो ऽसृजत् / मुखतो ऽजान् ससर्जान्यान् उदराद्गाश्चनिर्ममे

Transliteration

vayāṃsi vayasaḥ sṛṣṭvā avayo vakṣaso 'sṛjat / mukhato 'jān sasarjānyān udarādgāścanirmame

Translation

Après avoir créé les oiseaux à partir du cours du temps (les années), il fit naître les brebis de sa poitrine. De sa bouche il fit surgir les chèvres et d’autres créatures, et de son ventre il façonna aussi les vaches.

Word by Word

• वयांसि: birds
• वयांसि: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयांस्/वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• वयसः: from the age/season (vayas)
• वयसः: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वयस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन

• सृष्ट्वा: having created
• सृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund/Absolutive), ‘having created’

• अवयः: sheep
• अवयः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• वक्षसः: from the chest
• वक्षसः: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन

• असृजत्: created
• असृजत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मुखतः: from the mouth
• मुखतः: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: मुखतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त (ablatival adverb) ‘from the mouth’

• अजान्: goats
• अजान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• ससर्ज: created
• ससर्ज: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सृज् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अन्यान्: other (ones)
• अन्यान्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अन्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन; विशेषण (implied: animals)

• उदरात्: from the belly
• उदरात्: Apadana (अपादान/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उदर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (Ablative), एकवचन

• गाः: cows
• गाः: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गो (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction)

• निर्ममे: fashioned/formed
• निर्ममे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि+मा (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic discourse describing cosmic creation; traditionally mediated through Vyāsa/Sūta style narration)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Creator (Prajāpati/Hiraṇyagarbha/Brahmā as the embodied source)
• birds
• sheep
• goats
• cows

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By describing creation as emerging from a single cosmic source-body, the verse points to an underlying unity: multiplicity of beings arises from one principle, reflecting the Purāṇic view that the many depend upon the One (ātman/īśvara) as their ground.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific practice is prescribed in this verse; its yogic value is contemplative—encouraging meditation on the cosmos as a manifestation of the one divine reality, a common foundation for later Kurma Purana teachings on devotion (bhakti), discipline (niyama), and Pāśupata-oriented inner worship.

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

While not naming Śiva or Viṣṇu directly, the imagery of a single divine source generating all beings aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the supreme reality is one, approached through different divine names and forms without contradiction.