Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 10

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

Devanagari script

सो ऽब्रवीद् भगवान् योगी दैत्येन्द्राय महात्मने / सर्वगुह्यतमं धर्ममात्मज्ञानमनुत्तमम्

Transliteration

so 'bravīd bhagavān yogī daityendrāya mahātmane / sarvaguhyatamaṃ dharmamātmajñānamanuttamam

Translation

ແລ້ວພຣະຜູ້ເປັນເຈົ້າ—ພຣະໂຍຄີ—ໄດ້ກ່າວຕໍ່ຈອມເຈົ້າແຫ່ງໄດຕະຍະຜູ້ມີຈິດໃຫຍ່ ພ້ອມຖ່າຍທອດທຳມະອັນລັບລຶກທີ່ສຸດ: ຄວາມຮູ້ແຫ່ງອາດມັນ (Ātman) ອັນຫາທຽບບໍ່ໄດ້।

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• अब्रवीत्: said
• अब्रवीत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• योगी: the yogi
• योगी: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योगिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• दैत्येन्द्राय: to the lord of the Daityas
• दैत्येन्द्राय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य-इन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (दैत्यानाम् इन्द्रः)

• महात्मने: to the great-souled one
• महात्मने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular; कर्मधारयः (महान् आत्मा यस्य)

• सर्वगुह्यतमम्: most secret of all
• सर्वगुह्यतमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व-गुह्य-तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies धर्मम्; तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषां गुह्यानां मध्ये) + तमप् (superlative)

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• आत्मज्ञानम्: knowledge of the Self
• आत्मज्ञानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्म-ज्ञान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; apposition to धर्मम्; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (आत्मनः ज्ञानम्)

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed
• अनुत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies आत्मज्ञानम्

Speaker

Bhagavan (Lord Kurma/Vishnu as the Yogin teacher)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Bhagavan
• Daityendra (lord of the Daityas)
• Atman-jnana
• Dharma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames Ātma-jñāna (Self-knowledge) as the highest, unsurpassed teaching—described as the most secret essence of Dharma—implying liberation comes through direct realization of the Self rather than mere external observances.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse is an introductory marker: the Lord as “Yogin” signals that the forthcoming instruction is yogic and contemplative—centered on inner realization (ātma-jñāna) as the core of practice, aligning with Purāṇic yoga-shāstra themes of concentration, discernment, and liberation.

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

By presenting the Supreme as “Bhagavān Yogī” teaching the secret of liberation, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the one supreme reality is approached through yogic Self-knowledge, a shared soteriology across Shaiva (yoga/gnosis) and Vaishnava (Bhagavan-centered) frameworks.