Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Dvīpa-Varṣa Vibhāga and the Priyavrata–Agnīdhra Lineage

Cosmic Geography and Royal Succession

Devanagari script

प्लक्ष्द्वीपेश्वरश्चैव तेन मेधातिथिः कृतः / शाल्मलेशं वपुष्मन्तं नरेन्द्रमभिषिक्तवान्

Transliteration

plakṣdvīpeśvaraścaiva tena medhātithiḥ kṛtaḥ / śālmaleśaṃ vapuṣmantaṃ narendramabhiṣiktavān

Translation

त्याने मेधातिथीला प्लक्षद्वीपाचा अधिपती केले. आणि वपुष्मंताला शाल्मलद्वीपाचा नरेन्द्र म्हणून अभिषेक केला.

Word by Word

• प्लक्ष-द्वीप-ईश्वरः: (as) lord of Plakṣadvīpa
• प्लक्ष-द्वीप-ईश्वरः: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्लक्ष (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वीप (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘प्लक्षद्वीपस्य ईश्वरः’

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)

• तेन: by him/thereby
• तेन: Karana (करण/Instrument/Agentive means)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• मेधातिथिः: Medhātithi
• मेधातिथिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधातिथि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; व्यक्तिनाम

• कृतः: was made/appointed
• कृतः: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘made/appointed’

• शाल्मलि-ईशम्: lord of Śālmalī (dvīpa)
• शाल्मलि-ईशम्: Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शाल्मलि (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘शाल्मलिद्वीपस्य ईशः’ (contextual)

• वपुष्मन्तम्: handsome
• वपुष्मन्तम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वपुष्मन्त् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; मतुप्-प्रत्ययान्त (possessive adjective)

• नरेन्द्रम्: the king
• नरेन्द्रम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नरेन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• अभिषिक्तवान्: (he) anointed/installed
• अभिषिक्तवान्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate participle)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अभि-षिच् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त—क्तवत् (past active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; उपसर्गः अभि-; कर्तरि प्रयोगः

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Purāṇic account to the sages, in the conventional frame of the Kurma Purana)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Plakṣa-dvīpa
• Śālmala-dvīpa
• Medhātithi
• Vapuṣmant

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily cosmological and administrative, describing the appointment of rulers over dvīpas; it does not directly teach Ātman-doctrine, but it reflects the Purāṇic vision of an ordered cosmos sustained by dharma and rightful sovereignty.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga practice is taught in this śloka; its contribution is contextual—Purāṇic cosmology that later frames dharma, vrata, and yogic discipline as practices situated within a divinely ordered world.

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

The verse itself does not mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; within the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis, such cosmological governance is ultimately grounded in the one Supreme Lord (Īśvara) revered through both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava idioms.