Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 50

Brahmacārin-Dharma: Guru-Sevā, Daily Vedic Study, Gāyatrī-Japa, and Anadhyāya Regulations

Devanagari script

गायत्रीं चैव वेदांश्च तुलयातोलयत् प्रभुः / एकतश्चतुरो वेदान् गायत्रीं च तथैकतः

Transliteration

gāyatrīṃ caiva vedāṃśca tulayātolayat prabhuḥ / ekataścaturo vedān gāyatrīṃ ca tathaikataḥ

Translation

Le Seigneur pesa la Gāyatrī et les Veda sur une balance. Plaçant les quatre Veda d’un côté et la Gāyatrī de l’autre, Il constata qu’ils étaient d’un poids égal.

Word by Word

• गायत्रीम्: the Gāyatrī (meter/mantra)
• गायत्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

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

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (emphatic particle)

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

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

• तुलया: with a balance/scale
• तुलया: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तुला (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण), एकवचन

• अतोलयत्: weighed
• अतोलयत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: तुल् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense ‘to weigh’ (तोलयति)

• प्रभुः: the Lord
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रभु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• एकतः: on one side
• एकतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘on one side’

• चतुरः: four
• चतुरः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषण (qualifying)

• वेदान्: the Vedas
• वेदान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), बहुवचन

• गायत्रीम्: the Gāyatrī
• गायत्रीम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गायत्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

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

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• एकतः: on one side
• एकतः: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एकतः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb) ‘on one side’

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narrator describing the Lord’s demonstration of scriptural essence)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Prabhu (the Lord)
• Gayatri
• Four Vedas

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By showing the Gāyatrī as equal to the four Vedas, the verse implies that realized wisdom is concentrated in a single luminous mantra—pointing to the one inner Reality (Ātman/Brahman) that the Vedas ultimately teach.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights mantra-yoga through disciplined Gāyatrī-japa: a focused, daily contemplative practice that condenses Vedic study into direct internalization of sacred knowledge and purity of mind.

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

Though not naming Śiva directly, the teaching reflects the Purāṇa’s synthesis: the one Prabhu (Lord) establishes a universal, non-sectarian core practice (Gāyatrī) honored across Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava traditions as Vedic essence.