Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Prākṛta Sṛṣṭi and Pralaya: From Pradhāna to Brahmāṇḍa; Trimūrti Samanvaya

Devanagari script

मनस्त्वव्यक्तजं प्रोक्तं विकारः प्रथमः स्मृतः / येनासौ जायते कर्ता भूतादींश्चानुपश्यति

Transliteration

manastvavyaktajaṃ proktaṃ vikāraḥ prathamaḥ smṛtaḥ / yenāsau jāyate kartā bhūtādīṃścānupaśyati

Translation

マナス（意・心）はアヴィヤクタ（未顕）より生ずると説かれ、最初の変容として記憶される。これによって、身に宿るジーヴァは行為者（カルター）と見なされ、諸元素および他の創成の原理を認識する。

Word by Word

• मनः: mind
• मनः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तु: however/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक (but/indeed)

• अव्यक्तजम्: born from the unmanifest
• अव्यक्तजम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त (प्रातिपदिक) + ज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (अव्यक्तात् जातम्)

• प्रोक्तम्: is declared
• प्रोक्तम्: Karma (कर्म/Predicate complement)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रवच्/वच् (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → प्रोक्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; (अस्ति) इति अध्याहारः—‘is said’

• विकारः: modification
• विकारः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• प्रथमः: first
• प्रथमः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• स्मृतः: is regarded
• स्मृतः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + क्त (प्रत्यय) → स्मृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (अस्ति) इति अध्याहारः—‘is considered’

• येन: by which
• येन: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• असौ: that (entity)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• जायते: is born/arises
• जायते: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• कर्त्ता: doer
• कर्त्ता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृ (धातु) + तृच् (प्रत्यय) → कर्तृ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-तृच्

• भूतादीन्: the elements and the rest
• भूतादीन्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भूत (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष-समासः (भूतानि आदयः येषाम्)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• अनुपश्यति: perceives/observes
• अनुपश्यति: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अनु + पश्य् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद; उपसर्गः अनु-

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu), teaching the sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Avyakta (Prakriti)
• Manas
• Bhutas (elements)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that doership and ordinary cognition arise through mind as a product of the unmanifest; the Self in itself is not intrinsically a “doer,” but appears as an agent when associated with manas and the evolutes.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

By identifying mind as the first evolute that generates doership, the verse supports Yoga disciplines central to the Kurma tradition—restraint and purification of mind (manonigraha, vairāgya, dhyāna)—so that agency and its karmic bondage subside.

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

Though not naming them directly, it reflects the shared Purāṇic synthesis: the same Supreme (celebrated as Hari or Hara) teaches the tattva-structure in which mind and agency are secondary evolutes, while the highest reality remains beyond modifications.