Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 112
The Explanation of Sandhyā and Related Daily Observances
Saṅdhyā-ādi Nitya-karma-Vidhi
कूर्मेशः कमठीयुक्तो भूतमात्रैकनेत्रकः । लम्बोदर्या चतुर्वक्त्रो ह्यजेशो द्राविणीयुतः ॥ ११२ ॥
kūrmeśaḥ kamaṭhīyukto bhūtamātraikanetrakaḥ | lambodaryā caturvaktro hyajeśo drāviṇīyutaḥ || 112 ||
Baginda ialah Kūrmeśa, Tuhan dalam rupa Kura-kura; diperlengkapi dengan kuasa bentuk Kura-kura; Yang Bermata Satu di antara segala makhluk; berperut labuh; bermuka empat; sesungguhnya Tuhan bagi Ajā—Brahmā, Yang Tidak Dilahirkan; serta diiringi Drāviṇī, dewi kekayaan dan kelimpahan.
Nārada (in an instructional listing within the Vedāṅga/technical section, traditionally in dialogue frame with Sanatkumāra)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
It compresses multiple divine epithets into a single verse, pointing to the one Supreme reality approached through different forms—Vishnu’s Kūrma aspect, Brahmā’s four-faced creative station, and wealth as divine śakti—useful for contemplation and ritual identification.
Bhakti is supported here by nāma-smaraṇa (remembrance of divine names): meditating on forms like Kūrmeśa and attributes like caturvaktra provides concrete supports (ālambana) for devotion and focused worship.
The verse functions like a devatā-nirdeśa (deity/epithet indexing) used in mantra application—helpful for ritual precision and for Vyākaraṇa/Nirukta-style understanding of names and their implied iconography.