Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 22
Dvīpa-Varṣa Vibhāga and the Priyavrata–Agnīdhra Lineage
Cosmic Geography and Royal Succession
स्वनामचिह्नितान् यत्र तथा वर्षाणि सुव्रताः / ज्ञेयानि सप्त तान्येषु द्वीपेष्वेवं न यो मतः
svanāmacihnitān yatra tathā varṣāṇi suvratāḥ / jñeyāni sapta tānyeṣu dvīpeṣvevaṃ na yo mataḥ
Wahai para pemegang tapa yang luhur, di benua-benua (dvīpa) itu wilayah yang disebut varṣa ditandai oleh nama masing-masing; ketahuilah jumlahnya tujuh. Inilah pemahaman yang telah ditetapkan tentang dvīpa.
Sūta (narrator) conveying the Purāṇic cosmography within the Kurma Purana’s discourse to the sages
Primary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
This verse is primarily cosmographic, not directly metaphysical: it organizes the world into named varṣas within dvīpas. In the Kurma Purana’s broader framework, such ordered description supports dharma by situating human life and sacred geography within a meaningful cosmic structure, rather than defining Ātman explicitly.
No specific yoga practice is taught in this verse. Indirectly, Purāṇic geography functions as a contemplative map (smṛti) for pilgrimage, ritual duty, and worldview—preparatory supports that, in later Kurma Purana sections (including the Ishvara Gita and Pāśupata-oriented teachings), are integrated with sādhanā and disciplined conduct (vrata).
This verse does not mention Śiva or Viṣṇu explicitly. Its contribution is contextual: the Kurma Purana often unifies Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava theology by placing devotion and yoga within an ordered cosmos; here, the emphasis is on the standard classification of dvīpas and their seven named varṣas.