Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 14

Nine Creations (Sarga), Guṇa-Streams of Beings, and Brahmā’s Progeny in Cyclic Time

Devanagari script

वैकारिकस्तृतीयस्तु सर्ग ऐन्द्रियकः स्मृतः / इत्येष प्राकृतः सर्गः संभूतो ऽबुद्धिपूर्वकः

Transliteration

vaikārikastṛtīyastu sarga aindriyakaḥ smṛtaḥ / ityeṣa prākṛtaḥ sargaḥ saṃbhūto 'buddhipūrvakaḥ

Translation

ତୃତୀୟ ସର୍ଗ ‘ବୈକାରିକ’ ବୋଲି ପରିଚିତ; ଏହାକୁ ‘ଐନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟକ’—ଇନ୍ଦ୍ରିୟମାନଙ୍କ ଉତ୍ପତ୍ତି—ବୋଲି ସ୍ମୃତ। ଏହା ପ୍ରାକୃତ ସର୍ଗ; ବିଚାରପୂର୍ବକ ବୁଦ୍ଧିରୁ ନୁହେଁ, ପ୍ରକୃତିରୁ ସ୍ୱୟଂ ଉଦ୍ଭୂତ।

Word by Word

• वैकारिकः: pertaining to vikāra (modification)
• वैकारिकः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vaikārika (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying ‘sargaḥ’

• तृतीयः: third
• तृतीयः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying (implied) ‘sargaḥ’

• तु: indeed/and
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात)

• सर्गः: creation
• सर्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• ऐन्द्रियकः: sensory/related to the organs
• ऐन्द्रियकः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aindriyaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying ‘sargaḥ’; ‘pertaining to the senses’

• स्मृतः: is called/remembered as
• स्मृतः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: smṛ (धातु)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त), Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/quotative)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iti (अव्यय)
• Form: Quotative particle (निपात)

• एषः: this
• एषः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• प्राकृतः: material/natural
• प्राकृतः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: prākṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying ‘sargaḥ’; ‘natural/material’

• सर्गः: creation
• सर्गः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• संभूतः: arisen/produced
• संभूतः: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-bhū (धातु)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त/भूतकृदन्त in active sense), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; ‘arisen/produced’

• अबुद्धिपूर्वकः: without prior intention/deliberation
• अबुद्धिपूर्वकः: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-buddhi + pūrvaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (तत्पुरुष) ‘a-buddhi-pūrvaka’ = ‘without prior deliberation’; Masculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifying ‘sargaḥ/saṃbhūtaḥ’

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) describing the cosmological categories as taught in the Kurma Purana tradition

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Prakṛti
• Indriyas

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By stating that the sensory creation is prākṛta and “not preceded by intellect,” the verse implies that such evolutes belong to Prakṛti, while the Self (Ātman/Puruṣa) remains the non-acting witness distinct from material processes.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

While not prescribing a practice directly, the verse supports yogic discrimination (viveka): senses and their functions are products of Prakṛti. Meditation in the Kurma tradition uses this insight to detach from indriya-driven movements and stabilize awareness in the witnessing Self/Iśvara.

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

Indirectly: by grounding creation in Prakṛti’s spontaneous evolution, it aligns with the Purana’s synthesizing theology where the one Supreme Iśvara—revered as Hari and Hara—presides over, yet remains beyond, the prākṛta sarga.