Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 42

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

Devanagari script

चतुर्भुजं विशालाक्षं श्रीवत्साङ्कितवक्षसम् / नीलमेघप्रतीकाशं भ्राजमानं श्रियावृतम्

Transliteration

caturbhujaṃ viśālākṣaṃ śrīvatsāṅkitavakṣasam / nīlameghapratīkāśaṃ bhrājamānaṃ śriyāvṛtam

Translation

彼を観想せよ。四臂にして大いなる眼をもち、胸にシュリーヴァツァ（Śrīvatsa）の印を戴く。濃き雨雲のごとく青黒く輝き、光り栄えて、シュリー（ラクシュミー）に包まれている。

Word by Word

• चतुर्-भुजम्: four-armed
• चतुर्-भुजम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्विगु-समास (numeral compound: ‘four-armed’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; (महाविष्णुम्) इत्यस्य विशेषण

• विशाल-अक्षम्: large-eyed
• विशाल-अक्षम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विशाल (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (विशालानि अक्षी यस्य), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रीवत्स-अङ्कित-वक्षसम्: whose chest is marked with the Śrīvatsa sign
• श्रीवत्स-अङ्कित-वक्षसम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रीवत्स (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कित (कृदन्त) + वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (instrumental/associative sense: ‘with chest marked by Śrīvatsa’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग (वक्षस्), द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• नील-मेघ-प्रतीकाशम्: resembling a dark-blue cloud
• नील-मेघ-प्रतीकाशम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नील (प्रातिपदिक) + मेघ (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रतीकाश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (upamāna-tatpuruṣa: नीलमेघस्य प्रतीकाशः), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• भ्राजमानम्: shining
• भ्राजमानम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भ्राज् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन

• श्रिया: with Śrī (splendour/Lakṣmī)
• श्रिया: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• आवृतम्: covered/adorned
• आवृतम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: आ-वृ (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति, एकवचन; श्रिया इत्यनेन सह (covered/adorned by)

Speaker

Narrator/Sage describing the dhyāna of Bhagavān (Vishnu/Kūrma as the Supreme Lord)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shringara

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Shri (Lakshmi)
• Shrivatsa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By prescribing meditation on the Lord’s auspicious form, the verse teaches that the Supreme (Ātman/Iśvara) can be approached as saguna—manifest with divine attributes—so the mind becomes steady and fit for realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights dhyāna-yoga through detailed visualization (rūpa-dhyāna): fixing awareness on the Lord’s form—four arms, Śrīvatsa on the chest, cloud-dark radiance, and Śrī (Lakṣmī)—a classic method aligned with Purāṇic bhakti and yogic concentration.

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

Though Vishnu’s form is described, the Kurma Purana’s broader teaching frames such dhyāna as worship of the one Supreme Iśvara approached through different names and forms—supporting a non-sectarian Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis.