Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

Lineage of Vyāsas, Division of the Veda, and Vāsudeva/Īśāna as the Veda-Known Supreme

Devanagari script

तृणबिन्दुस्त्रयोविंशे वाल्मीकिस्तत्परः स्मृतः / पञ्चविशे तथा शक्तिः षड्विंशे तु पराशरः

Transliteration

tṛṇabindustrayoviṃśe vālmīkistatparaḥ smṛtaḥ / pañcaviśe tathā śaktiḥ ṣaḍviṃśe tu parāśaraḥ

Translation

ഇരുപത്തിമൂന്നാമിൽ തൃണബിന്ദു; അവന്റെ ശേഷം വാൽമീകി എന്നു സ്മരിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. ഇരുപത്തിയഞ്ചാമിൽ ശക്തി, ഇരുപത്തിയാറാമിൽ പരാശരൻ ഉണ്ടായി.

Word by Word

• तृणबिन्दुः: Tṛṇabindu
• तृणबिन्दुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तृणबिन्दु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमास (तृण + बिन्दु)

• त्रयोविंशे: in the twenty-third
• त्रयोविंशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रयोविंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; द्विगुसमास (त्रयः + विंश)

• वाल्मीकिः: Vālmīki
• वाल्मीकिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वाल्मीकि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म/Accusative object of implied relation)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम; (तत् + परः इति उपपदसम्बन्ध)

• परः: next/following
• परः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

• स्मृतः: is remembered/said
• स्मृतः: Kriya/Predicate (क्रिया/विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + त (कृत्-प्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे विधेय

• पञ्चविशे: in the twenty-fifth
• पञ्चविशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पञ्चविंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; द्विगुसमास (पञ्च + विंश)

• तथा: likewise
• तथा: Discourse connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• शक्तिः: Śakti (name)
• शक्तिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• षड्विंशे: in the twenty-sixth
• षड्विंशे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षड्विंश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, एकवचन; द्विगुसमास (षट् + विंश)

• तु: and/but
• तु: Discourse connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात

• पराशरः: Parāśara
• पराशरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पराशर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) speaking to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya (traditional Purāṇic frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Tṛṇabindu
• Vālmīki
• Śakti
• Parāśara

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is genealogical rather than metaphysical; it supports Purāṇic authority by tracing a reliable ṛṣi-paramparā through which teachings about Ātman and Īśvara are preserved and transmitted.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yoga practice is taught in this line; instead, it establishes the teacher-lineage that later conveys disciplines such as dharma, tapas, and (in other sections) Pāśupata-oriented yogic instruction.

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

Indirectly: by grounding the text in recognized sages, it legitimizes later Kurma Purāṇa teachings that harmonize Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava viewpoints; this particular verse itself names transmitters, not the deities.