Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 58

Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

तस्मादर्थं च कामं च त्यक्त्वा धर्मं समाश्रयेत् / धर्मात् संजायते सर्वमित्याहुर्ब्रह्मवादिनः

Transliteration

tasmādarthaṃ ca kāmaṃ ca tyaktvā dharmaṃ samāśrayet / dharmāt saṃjāyate sarvamityāhurbrahmavādinaḥ

Translation

ଏହେତୁ ଅର୍ଥ ଓ କାମର ଆସକ୍ତି ତ୍ୟାଗ କରି ଧର୍ମର ଆଶ୍ରୟ ନେବା ଉଚିତ; କାରଣ ଧର୍ମରୁ ହିଁ ସମସ୍ତ କିଛି ଉତ୍ପନ୍ନ ହୁଏ—ବ୍ରହ୍ମବାଦୀମାନେ ଏହିପରି କହନ୍ତି।

Word by Word

• तस्मात्: therefore/from that
• तस्मात्: हेतु (Cause/Reason)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; हेत्वर्थ (ablative ‘therefore/from that’)

• अर्थम्: wealth
• अर्थम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अर्थ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• कामम्: desire
• कामम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, समुच्चय (conjunction)

• त्यक्त्वा: having abandoned
• त्यक्त्वा: पूर्वकाल (Prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: त्यज् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; ‘having abandoned’

• धर्मम्: dharma
• धर्मम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• समाश्रयेत्: should resort to
• समाश्रयेत्: क्रिया (Injunctive/should-do)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-आ-श्रि (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• धर्मात्: from dharma
• धर्मात्: अपादान (Apādāna/Source)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी, एकवचन; अपादान

• संजायते: arises
• संजायते: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्-जन् (धातु)
• Form: लट्, आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• सर्वम्: everything
• सर्वम्: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इति: thus
• इति: सम्बन्ध (Quotation marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक (quotative particle)

• आहुः: they say
• आहुः: क्रिया (Main verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• ब्रह्मवादिनः: the expounders of Brahman
• ब्रह्मवादिनः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक) + वादिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (ब्रह्मणः वादिनः/ब्रह्म-विषये वादिनः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Speaker

Narratorial/Didactic voice (Brahmavādins cited as authoritative teachers)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Dharma
• Artha
• Kama
• Brahmavādins
• Brahman

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames Dharma as the generative ground for all auspicious outcomes, echoing Brahman-centered teaching: alignment with cosmic order supports higher realization, including Self-knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is named; the verse emphasizes the ethical prerequisite for Yoga—renouncing fixation on artha and kāma and grounding one’s life in dharma, a foundation echoed in Kurma Purana’s later yogic instructions.

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

Indirectly: by privileging dharma as the universal principle upheld by the Supreme, it supports the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where devotion and discipline converge on one highest reality beyond sectarian boundaries.