Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18
Lineage of Vyāsas, Division of the Veda, and Vāsudeva/Īśāna as the Veda-Known Supreme
एकविंशतिभेदेन ऋग्वेदं कृतवान् पुरा / शाखानां तु शतेनैव यजुर्वेदमथाकरोत्
ekaviṃśatibhedena ṛgvedaṃ kṛtavān purā / śākhānāṃ tu śatenaiva yajurvedamathākarot
Pada zaman dahulu Ia menyusun Ṛgveda menjadi dua puluh satu pembagian; lalu Yajurveda pun diatur menjadi seratus śākhā (cabang).
Narrator within the Purāṇic dialogue (describing the compiler’s arrangement of the Vedas, traditionally attributed to Vyāsa)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
This verse does not directly define Ātman; it supports the Purāṇic view that sacred knowledge is preserved through ordered transmission (śākhās), enabling later inquiry into Brahman/Ātman via Vedic revelation.
No specific yoga practice is taught in this line; its focus is textual and disciplinary—systematizing Vedic śākhās, which undergirds later sādhanā (mantra, yajña, and contemplative study) described elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.
It does not explicitly mention Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; indirectly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis by grounding both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava teachings in a shared Vedic source structured through recognized śākhā traditions.