Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17
Lineage of Vyāsas, Division of the Veda, and Vāsudeva/Īśāna as the Veda-Known Supreme
ततः स ऋच उद्धृत्य ऋग्वेदं कृतवान् प्रभुः / यजूंषि च यजुर्वेदं सामवेदं च सामभिः
tataḥ sa ṛca uddhṛtya ṛgvedaṃ kṛtavān prabhuḥ / yajūṃṣi ca yajurvedaṃ sāmavedaṃ ca sāmabhiḥ
Sesudah itu, Tuhan Yang Maha Kuasa mengangkat bait‑bait Ṛc lalu menyusun Ṛgveda; demikian juga, daripada rumusan Yajus Dia membentuk Yajurveda, dan daripada nyanyian Sāman Dia menggubah Sāmaveda.
Sūta (narrator) describing the Lord’s Vedic arrangement
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It presents the Supreme Lord as the conscious source who “draws out” and orders Vedic sound, implying an intelligent, sovereign principle behind revelation rather than a merely human authorship.
This verse is not a direct Yoga instruction; it establishes the Vedas as the authoritative foundation for dharma, yajña, and later Kurma Purana teachings (including Pāśupata-oriented discipline) that rely on mantra and right knowledge.
By attributing Vedic revelation to the single “Prabhu,” it supports the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: the one Supreme is honored through multiple theologies, enabling Shaiva-Vaishnava unity grounded in shared Vedic source.