Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 1

Meru-Topography: Cities of Brahmā and the Dikpālas; Descent of Gaṅgā; Varṣa-Lotus and Boundary Mountains

Devanagari script

इति श्रीकूर्मपुराणे षट्साहस्त्र्यां सहितायां पूर्वविभागे त्रिचत्वारिशो ऽध्यायः सूत उवाच चतुर्दशसहस्त्रणि योजनानां महापुरी / मेरोरुपरि विख्याता देवदेवस्य वेधसः

Transliteration

iti śrīkūrmapurāṇe ṣaṭsāhastryāṃ sahitāyāṃ pūrvavibhāge tricatvāriśo 'dhyāyaḥ sūta uvāca caturdaśasahastraṇi yojanānāṃ mahāpurī / merorupari vikhyātā devadevasya vedhasaḥ

Translation

ଏହିପରି ଶ୍ରୀକୂର୍ମପୁରାଣର ଷଟ୍ସାହସ୍ତ୍ରୀ ସଂହିତାର ପୂର୍ବବିଭାଗରେ ଚତୁର୍ଚ୍ଚତ୍ୱାରିଂଶ ଅଧ୍ୟାୟ। ସୂତ କହିଲେ—ମେରୁର ଉପରେ ଦେବଦେବ ବେଧସ (ବ୍ରହ୍ମା)ଙ୍କ ମହାପୁରୀ ପ୍ରସିଦ୍ଧ, ଯାହା ଚତୁର୍ଦ୍ଦଶ ସହସ୍ର ଯୋଜନ ପର୍ଯ୍ୟନ୍ତ ବିସ୍ତୃତ।

Word by Word

• इति: thus
• इति: Nipata (निपात/Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरण/समाप्ति-सूचक निपात (quotative/closure particle)

• श्री-कूर्म-पुराणे: in the Śrī Kūrma Purāṇa
• श्री-कूर्म-पुराणे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), एकवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष-समासः (name): in the Śrī Kūrma Purāṇa

• षट्-साहस्त्र्याम्: in the six-thousand (recension)
• षट्-साहस्त्र्याम्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: षट् (संख्या) + साहस्त्री (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्विगु-समासः: ‘six-thousand (collection)’ (designation of recension)

• सहितायाम्: in the compiled (text)
• सहितायाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहिता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; विशेषण (qualifying ṣaṭsāhastryām): in the compilation

• पूर्व-विभागे: in the first section
• पूर्व-विभागे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + विभाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष-समासः: in the former section

• त्रि-चत्वारिंशः: forty-third
• त्रि-चत्वारिंशः: Visheshana (विशेषण of अध्यायः)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: त्रि (संख्या) + चत्वारिंशत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; द्विगु/संख्यासमासः: ‘forty-three’ (43rd)

• अध्यायः: chapter
• अध्यायः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अध्याय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग

• सूतः: Sūta
• सूतः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सूत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• चतुर्दश-सहस्त्राणि: fourteen thousand
• चतुर्दश-सहस्त्राणि: Karma (कर्म/Object/measure)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर्दश (संख्या) + सहस्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Nom/Acc), बहुवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्विगु-समासः: fourteen-thousands

• योजनानाम्: of yojanas
• योजनानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Measure-genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: योजन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• महापुरī: the great city
• महापुरī: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महापुरī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग

• मेरोः: of Meru
• मेरोः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग

• उपरि: above, upon
• उपरि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरि (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (preposition/adverb)

• विख्याता: renowned
• विख्याता: Visheshana (विशेषण of महापुरī)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वि-ख्यात (कृदन्त, √ख्या)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; स्त्रीलिङ्ग; भूतकृत् (PPP): renowned

• देव-देवस्य: of the god of gods
• देव-देवस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; तत्पुरुष-समासः: देवदेवस्य = of the god of gods

• वेधसः: of Vedhas (Brahmā)
• वेधसः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; पुंलिङ्ग; वेधस् = Brahmā

Speaker

Suta

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Suta
• Meru
• Brahma (Vedhas)
• Mahapuri (Brahma’s city)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily cosmographical, describing Brahmā’s famed city above Meru; it does not directly teach Ātman-doctrine, but it frames the ordered universe in which higher realms are associated with greater subtlety and dharmic governance.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga practice is taught in this verse; its role is contextual—mapping sacred geography that later Purāṇic teaching links with sādhana, pilgrimage, and contemplation of cosmic order (ṛta) as a support for steadiness of mind.

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

It does not mention Śiva or Viṣṇu directly; it highlights Brahmā (Vedhas). In the Kurma Purāṇa’s broader synthesis, such cosmology functions within a unified theistic frame where the supreme reality is approached through multiple divine forms.