Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 40

Dakṣa’s Progeny, Nṛsiṃha–Varāha Avatāras, and Andhaka’s Defeat

Hari–Hara–Śakti Synthesis

Devanagari script

दृष्ट्वा तं गरुडासीनं सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम् / पुरुषं पर्वताकारं नारायणमिवापरम्

Transliteration

dṛṣṭvā taṃ garuḍāsīnaṃ sūryakoṭisamaprabham / puruṣaṃ parvatākāraṃ nārāyaṇamivāparam

Translation

ഗരുഡാസീനനായി കോടി സൂര്യസമപ്രഭയോടെ ദീപ്തനായ, പർവ്വതാകാര മഹാപുരുഷനെ കണ്ടപ്പോൾ, അവർ അവനെ മറ്റൊരു നാരായണനെന്നപോലെ കരുതി।

Word by Word

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund), ‘having seen’

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• गरुडासीनम्: seated on Garuḍa
• गरुडासीनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: गरुड (प्रातिपदिक) + आसीन (कृदन्त, √आस्)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: गरुडे आसीनः; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (past participle ‘seated’), पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of तम्/पुरुषम्)

• सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम्: having splendor equal to ten million suns
• सूर्यकोटिसमप्रभम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सूर्य (प्रातिपदिक) + कोटि (प्रातिपदिक) + सम (प्रातिपदिक) + प्रभ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: सूर्यकोट्या समा प्रभा यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of पुरुषम्)

• पुरुषम्: the person
• पुरुषम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• पर्वताकारम्: mountain-shaped/huge like a mountain
• पर्वताकारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर्वत (प्रातिपदिक) + आकार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष: पर्वतस्य आकारः यस्य; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (of पुरुषम्)

• नारायणम्: Nārāyaṇa
• नारायणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• इव: like/as
• इव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उपमा)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-अव्यय

• अपरम्: another/second
• अपरम्: Karma-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्मसमानााधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण (predicate/apposition to पुरुषम्)

Speaker

Narrator (Purana narrator describing the vision of the Lord to the assembled seers/devotees)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Garuḍa
• Nārāyaṇa
• Puruṣa (Supreme Person)
• Sūrya (as a measure of brilliance)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By portraying the Lord as the cosmic Puruṣa—immeasurable and self-luminous—the verse points to the Supreme Reality as beyond ordinary measure, the source of all light and grandeur, which the tradition correlates with the inner Self realized through devotion and discernment.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse emphasizes darśana (contemplative vision) and bhakti-based concentration: fixing awareness on the divine form (Garuḍa-mounted Nārāyaṇa) as an aid to one-pointedness (ekāgratā), which complements the Kurma Purana’s broader yoga discipline culminating in direct realization.

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

Though explicitly Vaishnava in imagery (Nārāyaṇa on Garuḍa), the Kurma Purana’s synthesis treats such divine manifestations as expressions of the one Supreme Lord (Īśvara), allowing Shaiva and Vaishnava contemplations to converge on a single ultimate reality.