Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 30

Dvīpa-Varṣa Vibhāga and the Priyavrata–Agnīdhra Lineage

Cosmic Geography and Royal Succession

Devanagari script

तृतीयं नैषधं वर्षं हरये दत्तवान् पिता / इलावृताय प्रददौ मेरुमध्यमिलावृतम्

Transliteration

tṛtīyaṃ naiṣadhaṃ varṣaṃ haraye dattavān pitā / ilāvṛtāya pradadau merumadhyamilāvṛtam

Translation

បិតាបានប្រទានដែនទីបី គឺ នៃសធ-វರ್ಷ (Naiṣadha-varṣa) ដល់ ហរយ; ហើយដល់ អិលាវ្រឹត ទ្រង់បានប្រទាន អិលាវ្រឹត នោះឯង ដែនកណ្ដាលដែលមានភ្នំ មេរុ ជាចិត្តកណ្ដាល។

Word by Word

• तृतीयम्: third
• तृतीयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular); क्रमवाचक-विशेषण

• नैषधम्: Naiṣadha (named)
• नैषधम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नैषध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (Neuter), द्वितीया (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन (Singular); विशेषणम् (Naiṣadha-named)

• वर्षम्: region/varṣa
• वर्षम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• हरये: to Hari
• हरये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थीविभक्ति (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• दत्तवान्: (he) having given
• दत्तवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दा (धातु) + तवत् (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत्—क्तवतुप्रत्ययान्त (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (having given)

• पिता: the father
• पिता: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (Nominative/कर्ता), एकवचन

• इलावृताय: to Ilāvṛta
• इलावृताय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इलावृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: चतुर्थी (Dative/सम्प्रदान), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग (place-name used as neuter)

• प्रददौ: bestowed
• प्रददौ: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + दा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

• मेरुमध्यम्: with Meru in the middle
• मेरुमध्यम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मेरु + मध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषणम्; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (meror madhyam = having Meru as the middle)

• इलावृतम्: Ilāvṛta (region)
• इलावृतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इलावृत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

Speaker

Narrator-sage (Purāṇic narration within the Kurma Purana’s sacred geography account)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Haraya
• Ilāvṛta
• Naiṣadha-varṣa
• Mount Meru

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily cosmological, mapping sacred space (varṣas) rather than defining Ātman; its spiritual implication is that the Purāṇic world-order is presented as an intelligible, dharma-governed structure within which liberation teachings (like the Ishvara Gita elsewhere) are situated.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga practice is taught in this verse; it belongs to the Kurma Purana’s geography/cosmology layer, which traditionally supports pilgrimage, ritual orientation, and contemplative reflection on Meru-centered cosmic order rather than detailing Pāśupata-yoga techniques.

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

It does not directly address Shiva–Vishnu unity; instead, it frames the shared Purāṇic cosmology that both Shaiva and Vaishnava sections employ—showing how the Kurma Purana integrates multiple theological strands within a single ordered universe.