Deity

Kurma

कूर्मKūrma

verses
925
books
20
chapters
300
Avatar of
Vishnu
One of
Dashavatara

What the texts say

In the Kurma Purana, Kurma (Kūrma) is honoured as Vishnu, the God of gods, who has assumed the form of the Tortoise. Kurma Purana 1.51.35 The Bhagavata Purana tells how Kurma served as a resting place for Mount Mandara, the rod with which the gods and demons churned the Ocean of Milk for nectar. Bhagavatam 2.7.13 There, the mountain scratches his back, and the ocean tides are said to imitate his breathing ever since. Bhagavatam 12.13.2 The Kurma Purana also says that after the world dissolves, the earth appears resting upon the back of the Tortoise. Kurma Purana 2.43.23 That Purana is spoken by Kurma himself, who tells the sages what he once told King Indradyumna. Kurma Purana 1.2.1 The Garuda Purana lists Kurma among ten names, from Matsya to Kalki, that the wise should always remember. Garuda Purana 2.30.37

Where to read

Every verse that names Kurma, book by book.

  1. Kurma Purana

    597 verses · 79 chapters

    All 597 verses in the Kurma Purana
    • 1.11.1

      Yeh baat Shri Kurma Purana mein hai, chhe hazaar shlokon wali kitab ke pehle bhag mein. Yahan se desh ke baare mein adhyay shuru hota hai. Kurma Bhagwan ne kaha, Brahma ne Parichadi aur doosre rishiyon ko paida kiya. Woh sab Brahma ke man…

    • 1.2.1

      Toh Kurma Purana ke pehle bhaag ka pehla adhyay poora hua. Ab Kurma bhagwan bolte hain. Rishiyon ne mujhse jo poocha hai woh sab suno. Woh baat main tumhe bataunga, jaise maine Raja Indradyumna ko batayi thi.

    • 1.1.99

      Kurm bhagwan bole ki jab usne mujhse yeh sab poocha to maine apne bhakt par daya karne ke liye use sab kuch sahi se samjha diya.

  2. Skanda Purana

    118 verses · 49 chapters

    All 118 verses in the Skanda Purana
    • 6.1.271.311

      Kurma ne kaha, ek brahmin rishi hai jiska naam Lomasha hai. Woh mujhse bhi purana hai. Maine suna hai aur khud dekha hai ki woh nadi ke kinare rehta hai.

    • 1.2.10.40

      Kachhede ne kaha, Raja, sun ek kahani. Bas sunne se paap khatam ho jate hain. Yeh bahut acchi kahani hai aur Shiv ki kheech isme bhari hai.

    • 1.2.11.1

      Kurma ne kaha, main pehle ek brahmin tha, log mujhe Shaandilya ke naam se jaante the. Raja sahab, jab main chhota tha, khelte-khelte maine kuch apne haath se banaya tha.

  3. Padma Purana

    42 verses · 34 chapters

    All 42 verses in the Padma Purana
    • 6.253.17

      Aindradyumna, Kurma, Simhadri, Karavir, Kashi, Prayag, Saumya, Shalagram parvat, yahan bhi bhagwan ka punya milta hai.

    • 1.3.29

      Jab unhone socha ki Vishnu ka roop lena padega, tab unhone apni taakat se dharti ko uthane ka irada kiya. Pehle machhli aur kachhua bane the, ab suar ka roop liya.

    • 1.4.43

      Deva aur Danav dono ki sena ke beech mein, Kshira Sagar ke paani mein, Bhagwan khade the. Woh Hari khud the, aur unhone kachhua ka roop liya tha, Kurma.

  4. Agni Purana

    26 verses · 22 chapters

    All 26 verses in the Agni Purana
    • 1.1.14

      Bhagwan ne Matsya aur Kurma jaise roop liye. Unhone bataya ki duniya kaise bani, phir kaise dobara bani. Unhone vansh aur unki kahaniyan bhi batayi.

    • 1.2.17

      Keshav ne Ved bacha liye. Machhli se shuru karke usne sab sambhala. Phir jab Varah ka time aaya, Hari ne Kachhua ka roop liya.

    • 1.3.1

      Ab teesra adhyay shuru hota hai, jisme Kurma avatar ki kahani hai. Agni bolte hain, main tumhe Kurma avatar batata hoon, yeh sunne se paap mit jaate hain. Pehle devta aur asur ladhte the, aur asuron ne devta ko hara diya tha.

Also named in

Key chapters

The chapters where Kurma matters most.

  1. Devī-tattva, Śakti-Śaktimān doctrine, Kāla-Māyā cosmology, and Māheśvara Yoga instruction

    Kurma Purana 1.11 · 68 verses

  2. Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti

    Kurma Purana 1.2 · 23 verses

  3. Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching (Iśvara-Gītā Prelude)

    Kurma Purana 1.1 · 22 verses

  4. Liṅgasaptaka-pratiṣṭhā and Indradyumna’s Fame: The Hāṭakeśvara-kṣetra Narrative (लिङ्गसप्तक-माहात्म्यं तथा इन्द्रद्युम्न-कीर्तिः)

    Skanda Purana 6.1.271 · 17 verses

  5. Dialogue of Indradyumna and the Tortoise Mantharaka

    Skanda Purana 1.2.10 · 16 verses

  6. Prākṛta-pralaya, Pratisarga Doctrine, and the Ishvara-Samanvaya of Yoga and Devotion

    Kurma Purana 2.44 · 11 verses

  7. Varnāśrama-Krama, Vairāgya as the Ground of Saṃnyāsa, and Brahmārpaṇa Karma-yoga

    Kurma Purana 1.3 · 9 verses

  8. Brahmā’s Lotus-Birth, the Sealing of the Cosmic Womb, and the Epiphany of Parameśvara (Hari-Hara Samanvaya)

    Kurma Purana 1.9 · 9 verses

  9. Madhu-Kaiṭabha, Nārāyaṇa’s Yoga-Nidrā, Rudra’s Manifestation, and the Aṣṭamūrti-Trimūrti Teaching

    Kurma Purana 1.10 · 8 verses

  10. Naimittika-pralaya and the Theology of Kāla: Seven Suns, Saṃvartaka Fire, Flood, and Varāha Kalpa

    Kurma Purana 2.43 · 8 verses

Key episodes

  1. The Churning of the Ocean (Samudra Manthan)

    Bhagavatam 8.5-8.10

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q476808