Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

Dvīpa-Varṣa Vibhāga and the Priyavrata–Agnīdhra Lineage

Cosmic Geography and Royal Succession

Devanagari script

जलदं जलदस्याथ वर्षं प्रथममुच्यते / कुमारस्य तु कौमारं तृतीयं सुकुमारकम्

Transliteration

jaladaṃ jaladasyātha varṣaṃ prathamamucyate / kumārasya tu kaumāraṃ tṛtīyaṃ sukumārakam

Translation

ജലദന്റെ നാമത്തിൽ ആദ്യ വർഷം ‘ജലദം’ എന്നു പറയപ്പെടുന്നു; കുമാരന്റെ നാമത്തിൽ ‘കൗമാരം’, മൂന്നാമത് ‘സുകുമാരകം’ എന്നും വിളിക്കുന്നു।

Word by Word

• जलदम्: Jalada (region-name)
• जलदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; name of varṣa

• जलदस्य: of Jalada
• जलदस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जलद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम (then)

• वर्षम्: region/varṣa
• वर्षम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• प्रथमम्: first
• प्रथमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रथम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ordinal adjective

• उच्यते: is called
• उच्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive)

• कुमारस्य: of Kumāra
• कुमारस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular

• तु: and/indeed
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण/विरोध (but/indeed)

• कौमारम्: Kaumāra (region-name)
• कौमारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौमार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; derived from कुमार (pertaining to Kumāra)

• तृतीयम्: third
• तृतीयम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तृतीय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ordinal adjective

• सुकुमारकम्: Sukumāraka (region-name)
• सुकुमारकम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुकुमारक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; name; समास/निर्माण: सु + कुमारक

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying Purāṇic enumeration/traditional nomenclature in the Kurma Purana’s discourse

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Jalada
• Kumāra

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is not directly metaphysical; it functions as a dharma-oriented classification of human stages by conventional names, which supports disciplined living (āśrama-style order) rather than explicit ātma-tattva teaching.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yogic practice is taught in this line; its practical import is preparatory—clear stage-definitions help align duties and self-restraint appropriate to one’s age, a foundation for later Purāṇic yoga and vrata disciplines.

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

It does not explicitly address Shiva–Vishnu unity; it is a neutral, encyclopedic naming of stages. The Kurma Purana’s synthesis appears more strongly in its later doctrinal and devotional sections (including Ishvara Gita themes).