Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Time-Reckoning (Kāla-gaṇanā): Yugas, Manvantaras, Kalpas, and Prākṛta Pralaya

Devanagari script

ब्राह्ममेकमहः कल्पस्तावती रात्रिरिष्यते / चतुर्युगसहस्त्रं तु कल्पमाहुर्मनीषिणः

Transliteration

brāhmamekamahaḥ kalpastāvatī rātririṣyate / caturyugasahastraṃ tu kalpamāhurmanīṣiṇaḥ

Translation

ಬ್ರಹ್ಮನ ಒಂದು ದಿನವನ್ನು ‘ಕಲ್ಪ’ ಎನ್ನುತ್ತಾರೆ; ಅಷ್ಟೇ ದೀರ್ಘವಾದ ಕಾಲವನ್ನು ಅವನ ರಾತ್ರಿಯೆಂದು ಗಣಿಸುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಜ್ಞಾನಿಗಳು ಒಂದು ಕಲ್ಪವು ಚತುರ್ಯುಗಗಳ ಸಾವಿರ ಚಕ್ರಗಳೆಂದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತಾರೆ.

Word by Word

• brāhmam: related to Brahma
• brāhmam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: brāhma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ekam: one
• ekam: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ahaḥ: day
• ahaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• kalpaḥ: Kalpa (eon)
• kalpaḥ: Vidheya (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tāvatī: of that duration
• tāvatī: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāvat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• rātriḥ: night
• rātriḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rātri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• iṣyate: is considered/accepted
• iṣyate: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: iṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present Passive (Lat/लट्), 3rd Person (Prathama), Singular

• caturyugasahastraṃ: one thousand sets of four yugas
• caturyugasahastraṃ: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur-yuga-sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tu: but/and
• tu: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (Contrast/Expletive)

• kalpam: a Kalpa
• kalpam: Vidheya Karma (Predicate Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• āhuḥ: they say/call
• āhuḥ: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: brū (ah) (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (Lit/लिट्), 3rd Person (Prathama), Plural

• manīṣiṇaḥ: the wise ones
• manīṣiṇaḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manīṣin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Purāṇic cosmological teaching as received from sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma
• Kalpa
• Caturyuga
• Yuga

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By mapping creation into Brahmā’s day and dissolution into his night, the verse implies that cosmic manifestation is cyclical and conditioned by time, while the highest reality (Atman/Ishvara) is understood in the Kurma Purana as the timeless ground that remains unchanged through these cycles.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse itself teaches kāla-jñāna (knowledge of cosmic time) rather than a specific technique; in the Kurma Purana’s spiritual framework, such cosmological discernment supports vairāgya (dispassion) and steadiness in sādhanā, which then culminates in disciplined Yoga (including Shaiva-Pāśupata orientations) taught elsewhere.

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

Indirectly: by presenting a shared Purāṇic cosmology (Brahmā’s day-night, kalpa, yuga cycles), it provides the common metaphysical stage on which the Kurma Purana later articulates Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis—one Ishvara guiding creation and dissolution through different divine forms.