Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 16

Virocana–Bali, Aditi’s Tapas, and the Vāmana–Trivikrama Episode

Devanagari script

कृत्वा हृत्पद्मकिञ्जल्के निष्कलं परमं पदम् / वासुदेवमनाद्यन्तमानन्दं व्योम केवलम्

Transliteration

kṛtvā hṛtpadmakiñjalke niṣkalaṃ paramaṃ padam / vāsudevamanādyantamānandaṃ vyoma kevalam

Translation

Dengan menegakkan Keadaan Tertinggi yang tak terbagi di serabut teratai hati, hendaknya merenungkan Vāsudeva—tanpa awal dan akhir—yang merupakan kebahagiaan murni, cakrawala kesadaran yang tunggal dan meliputi segalanya.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having made/placed
• कृत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Pūrvakāla-kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (gerund/absolutive); 'कृत्वा' = having made/placing

• हृत्पद्मकिञ्जल्के: in the heart-lotus filaments
• हृत्पद्मकिञ्जल्के: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Locative)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हृत् + पद्म + किञ्जल्क (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषः (हृदः पद्मस्य किञ्जल्के) = 'in the filaments of the heart-lotus'

• निष्कलम्: partless
• निष्कलम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निः + कल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; पदम् विशेषणम्

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; पदम् विशेषणम्

• पदम्: state/abode
• पदम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• वासुदेवम्: Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वासुदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• अनाद्यन्तम्: without beginning or end
• अनाद्यन्तम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनादि + अन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (अनादि च अन्तश्च—negated: without beginning and end); पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वासुदेवस्य विशेषणम्

• आनन्दम्: bliss
• आनन्दम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आनन्द (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वासुदेवस्य विशेषणरूपेण (as bliss)

• व्योम: sky/space
• व्योम: कर्म-विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Noun
• Root: व्योमन्/व्योम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; वासुदेवस्य विशेषणरूपेण

• केवलम्: pure/only
• केवलम्: कर्म-विशेषण (Karma-viśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: केवल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; व्योम/वासुदेवस्य विशेषणम्

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages/seekers in meditative contemplation

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as niṣkala (partless), anādy-anta (beginningless and endless), and as pure ānanda—an all-pervading, non-dual expanse (vyoma) realized inwardly.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It emphasizes heart-lotus meditation (hṛtpadma-dhyāna): inwardly placing the mind in the spiritual center and contemplating the Supreme as formless, undivided consciousness—an approach aligned with inner worship (antar-yāga) and samādhi-oriented yoga.

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

By framing Vāsudeva as the niṣkala, absolute Reality, it supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic stance: the Supreme is one, approached through different names and disciplines, harmonizing Shaiva yoga vocabulary with Vaishnava theism.