Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19
Brahmā’s Lotus-Birth, the Sealing of the Cosmic Womb, and the Epiphany of Parameśvara
Hari–Hara Samanvaya
ततः प्रहस्य भगवान् ब्रह्मा वेदनिधिः प्रभुः / प्रत्युवाचाम्बुजाभाक्षं सस्मितं श्लक्ष्णया गिरा
tataḥ prahasya bhagavān brahmā vedanidhiḥ prabhuḥ / pratyuvācāmbujābhākṣaṃ sasmitaṃ ślakṣṇayā girā
तब वेदों के निधि, प्रभु भगवान् ब्रह्मा हँसे और कमल-नेत्र प्रभु को स्नेहपूर्ण, मृदु वाणी से मुस्कराकर उत्तर देने लगे।
Narrator (describing Brahmā replying to the lotus-eyed Lord, i.e., Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa)
Primary Rasa: hasya
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
Indirectly: by portraying Nārāyaṇa as the revered “lotus-eyed” divine addressee and Brahmā as Veda-authority, the verse frames the forthcoming teaching as rooted in the Supreme principle acknowledged through Vedic wisdom.
No specific practice is stated in this verse; it functions as a transition into instruction. The gentle, composed reply signals an upadeśa-setting typical of Purāṇic yoga-teachings (later elaborated as discipline, devotion, and knowledge in Kurma Purana contexts).
By having Brahmā respectfully address the lotus-eyed Lord, it establishes a shared theological space where Vedic authority and divine sovereignty converge—supporting the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva-Vaishnava harmony that later accommodates non-dual readings.