Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 75

Madhu–Kaiṭabha, Nārāyaṇa’s Yoga-Nidrā, Rudra’s Manifestation, and the Aṣṭamūrti–Trimūrti Teaching

Devanagari script

त्रिधा भिन्नो ऽस्म्यहं ब्रह्मन् ब्रह्मविष्णुहराख्यया / सर्गरक्षालयगुणैर्निष्कलः परमेश्वरः

Transliteration

tridhā bhinno 'smyahaṃ brahman brahmaviṣṇuharākhyayā / sargarakṣālayaguṇairniṣkalaḥ parameśvaraḥ

Translation

हे ब्रह्मन्! सृष्टी, पालन आणि लय या गुणांनुसार मला ब्रह्मा, विष्णु आणि हर अशी त्रिविध नावे आहेत; परंतु तत्त्वतः मी निष्कल परमेश्वर आहे।

Word by Word

• tridhā: in three ways
• tridhā: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tridhā (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण-अव्यय)

• bhinnaḥ: divided, differentiated
• bhinnaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhid (धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle used adjectivally; Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• asmi: am
• asmi: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: Laṭ (लट्, present), Uttama-puruṣa (1st person/उत्तम), Singular (एकवचन)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: First person pronoun; Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahman: O Brahman
• brahman: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Vocative (8th/सम्बोधन), Singular (एकवचन)

• brahma-viṣṇu-hara-ākhyayā: by the designation ‘Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Hara’
• brahma-viṣṇu-hara-ākhyayā: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक) + viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + hara (प्रातिपदिक) + ākhyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन); compound: ब्रह्मविष्णुहर + आख्या = ‘named as Brahmā-Viṣṇu-Hara’

• sarga-rakṣā-laya-guṇaiḥ: by the qualities of creation, protection, and dissolution
• sarga-rakṣā-laya-guṇaiḥ: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (प्रातिपदिक) + rakṣā (प्रातिपदिक) + laya (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural (बहुवचन); compound: सर्गरक्षा-लय (creation-protection-dissolution) qualifying गुणैः

• niṣkalaḥ: partless, without divisions
• niṣkalaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: niṣkala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन)

• parameśvaraḥ: the Supreme Lord
• parameśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: parameśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular (एकवचन); परम + ईश्वर (appositional)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) teaching in the Īśvara-Gītā context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu
• Hara (Śiva)
• Parameśvara

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It teaches that the Supreme Lord is ultimately niṣkala—partless and indivisible—while appearing as differentiated forms only through functional attributes tied to cosmic activity.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports Īśvara-upāsanā in Yoga: meditate on one Parameśvara who pervades the three cosmic functions, then transcend function-based names and rest awareness in the niṣkala (undivided) reality—an orientation aligned with the Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning theism and inner renunciation.

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

Śiva (Hara) and Viṣṇu are presented as names for the same Parameśvara when viewed through different cosmic functions, expressing a non-sectarian Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis within the Īśvara-Gītā.