Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

Tāmasa Sarga, the Androgynous Division of Brahmā, and the Lineages of Dharma and Adharma

Devanagari script

योगैश्वर्यबलोपेता ज्ञानविज्ञानसंयुता / यो ऽभवत् पुरुषात् पुत्रो विराडव्यक्तजन्मनः

Transliteration

yogaiśvaryabalopetā jñānavijñānasaṃyutā / yo 'bhavat puruṣāt putro virāḍavyaktajanmanaḥ

Translation

ଯୋଗୈଶ୍ୱର୍ୟ ଓ ମହାବଳରେ ଯୁକ୍ତ, ଜ୍ଞାନ ଓ ବିଜ୍ଞାନରେ ସଂଯୁକ୍ତ—ସେ ପୁରୁଷରୁ ଜନ୍ମିତ ପୁତ୍ର ହେଲା: ଅବ୍ୟକ୍ତଜନ୍ମା ବିରାଟ।

Word by Word

• योगैश्वर्यबलोपेता: endowed with yoga, lordship, and strength
• योगैश्वर्यबलोपेता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग-ऐश्वर्य-बल-उपेत (प्रातिपदिक; योग + ऐश्वर्य + बल + उपेत)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; बहुपद-तत्पुरुषसमासः (योगैश्वर्यबलेन उपेता)

• ज्ञानविज्ञानसंयुता: joined with knowledge and discernment
• ज्ञानविज्ञानसंयुता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्ञान-विज्ञान-संयुत (प्रातिपदिक; ज्ञान + विज्ञान + संयुत)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; द्वन्द्वपूर्वपद (ज्ञानं च विज्ञानं च) + तत्पुरुष (तेन संयुता)

• यः: who
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक (relative pronoun)

• अभवत्: became/was born
• अभवत्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• पुरुषात्: from the male/person
• पुरुषात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• पुत्रः: son
• पुत्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विराट्: Virāṭ
• विराट्: Samanaadhikarana (समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विराज्/विराट् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषनाम

• अव्यक्तजन्मनः: of one whose birth is unmanifest
• अव्यक्तजन्मनः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यक्त-जन्मन् (प्रातिपदिक; अव्यक्त + जन्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (अव्यक्तं जन्म यस्य)

Speaker

Suta (narrator) recounting the cosmological lineage to the sages (frame narration)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Puruṣa
• Virāṭ
• Avyakta (the Unmanifest)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By presenting Puruṣa as the causal source and Virāṭ as the manifest cosmic form arising through the Unmanifest, the verse implies a layered reality: the Self as the grounding principle, with manifestation proceeding via subtle (avyakta) to gross (virāṭ) expression.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse does not teach a technique directly, but it foregrounds yogic aiśvarya (sovereign powers) supported by jñāna and vijñāna—implying that true yogic attainment in the Kurma Purana is grounded in disciplined Yoga allied with both scriptural understanding and direct realization.

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

Though neither Shiva nor Vishnu is named here, the cosmology aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthetic approach: a single supreme principle (Puruṣa) manifests the cosmos through avyakta to virāṭ—an interpretive framework used across both Shaiva and Vaishnava theological readings in this Purana.