Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 29
Nine Creations (Sarga), Guṇa-Streams of Beings, and Brahmā’s Progeny in Cyclic Time
तं प्राह भगवान् ब्रह्मा जन्ममृत्युयुताः प्रजाः / सृजेति सो ऽब्रवीदीशो नाहं मृत्युजरान्विताः / प्रजाः स्त्रक्ष्ये जगन्नाथ सृज त्वमशुभाः प्रजाः
taṃ prāha bhagavān brahmā janmamṛtyuyutāḥ prajāḥ / sṛjeti so 'bravīdīśo nāhaṃ mṛtyujarānvitāḥ / prajāḥ strakṣye jagannātha sṛja tvamaśubhāḥ prajāḥ
ତାଙ୍କୁ ଭଗବାନ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା କହିଲେ—“ଜନ୍ମମୃତ୍ୟୁଯୁକ୍ତ ପ୍ରଜା ସୃଷ୍ଟି କର।” କିନ୍ତୁ ଈଶ୍ୱର କହିଲେ—“ହେ ଜଗନ୍ନାଥ, ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଓ ଜରାଯୁକ୍ତ ସନ୍ତାନକୁ ମୁଁ ସୃଷ୍ଟି କରିବି ନାହିଁ; ତୁମେ ନିଜେ ସେଇ ଅଶୁଭ (ମର୍ତ୍ୟ) ପ୍ରଜା ସୃଷ୍ଟି କର।”
Narrator (Purāṇic narration) describing a dialogue between Brahmā and Īśa (Rudra/Shiva)
Primary Rasa: karuna
Secondary Rasa: shanta
FAQs
By contrasting the Lord’s purity with mortal limitation, the verse implies that the highest Īśvara/Ātman is not intrinsically bound by decay (jarā) and death (mṛtyu); mortality pertains to conditioned creation, not to the supreme principle.
No technique is taught directly; however, the theme supports Pāśupata-style renunciation and disidentification from birth-death conditioning—an orientation that later matures into disciplined Yoga and devotion to Īśvara beyond saṃsāra.
Using titles like Īśa and Jagannātha within a single theological frame, the passage reflects the Kurma Purana’s integrative approach: cosmic functions are distributed among divine forms while pointing to a unified supreme lordship underlying them.