Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 70

Devanagari script

रुद्रस्य मूर्तयस्तिस्त्रो याभिर्विश्वमिदं ततम् / तमो ह्यग्नी रजो ब्रह्मा सत्त्वं विष्णुरिति प्रभुः

Transliteration

rudrasya mūrtayastistro yābhirviśvamidaṃ tatam / tamo hyagnī rajo brahmā sattvaṃ viṣṇuriti prabhuḥ

Translation

ରୁଦ୍ରଙ୍କର ତିନି ମୂର୍ତ୍ତି ଅଛି; ସେମାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ଏହି ସମଗ୍ର ବିଶ୍ୱ ବ୍ୟାପ୍ତ। ତମୋଗୁଣରେ ସେ ଅଗ୍ନି, ରଜୋଗୁଣରେ ସେ ବ୍ରହ୍ମା, ଏବଂ ସତ୍ତ୍ୱଗୁଣରେ ସେ ବିଷ୍ଣୁ—ସେଇ ପ୍ରଭୁ।

Word by Word

• rudrasya: of Rudra
• rudrasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rudra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• mūrtayaḥ: forms
• mūrtayaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūrti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• tisraḥ: three
• tisraḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; संख्याविशेषणम् ‘mūrtayaḥ’

• yābhiḥ: by which
• yābhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; ‘by which’

• viśvam: the universe
• viśvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject of passive participle)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject-qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘viśvam’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• tatam: pervaded/spread
• tatam: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण/Predicate adjective)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √tan (तन्) + ta (कृत्; कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषणम् ‘viśvam’

• tamaḥ: darkness (tamas)
• tamaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• hi: indeed
• hi: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle) ‘indeed/for’

• agnī: Agni (fire)
• agnī: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: agni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; (पाठभेदे ‘agniḥ’)

• rajaḥ: passion (rajas)
• rajaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rajas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• brahmā: Brahmā
• brahmā: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• sattvam: goodness (sattva)
• sattvam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• viṣṇuḥ: Viṣṇu
• viṣṇuḥ: Karta-samānādhikaraṇa (कर्ता-समानाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: viṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

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

• prabhuḥ: the Lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; वाक्य-समापनकर्ता (speaker’s subject)

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing King Indradyumna (Iśvara-gītā context in the Upari-bhāga)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Rudra
• Agni
• Brahmā
• Viṣṇu

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents a non-sectarian, integrative vision where one sovereign Lord pervades the cosmos through guṇa-based functions—transformation (Agni), creation (Brahmā), and preservation (Viṣṇu)—implying a single Divine reality appearing as multiple cosmic roles.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports guṇa-viveka used in Yoga: observing tamas, rajas, and sattva in oneself and the world, then orienting practice toward sattva (clarity) and beyond the guṇas—an inner discipline consistent with Kurma Purana’s Pāśupata-leaning theism and contemplative discrimination.

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

It frames Rudra’s manifestations as including Viṣṇu (sattva) and other cosmic principles, conveying a Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis: one Lord functions through different names and guṇas rather than competing deities.