Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 50

Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

ऐकाश्रम्यं गृहस्थस्य त्रयाणां श्रुतिदर्शनात् / तस्माद् गार्हस्थ्यमेवैकं विज्ञेयं धर्मसाधनम्

Transliteration

aikāśramyaṃ gṛhasthasya trayāṇāṃ śrutidarśanāt / tasmād gārhasthyamevaikaṃ vijñeyaṃ dharmasādhanam

Translation

ਸ਼੍ਰੁਤੀ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਣ ਅਨੁਸਾਰ ਗ੍ਰਿਹਸਥ ਹੀ ਹੋਰ ਤਿੰਨ ਆਸ਼ਰਮਾਂ ਦਾ ਆਧਾਰ ਹੈ; ਇਸ ਲਈ ਗਾਰ੍ਹਸਥ ਆਸ਼ਰਮ ਨੂੰ ਹੀ ਧਰਮ-ਸਾਧਨ ਦਾ ਮੁੱਖ ਸਾਧਨ ਜਾਣੋ।

Word by Word

• aika-āśramyam: single āśrama (state of life)
• aika-āśramyam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: eka + āśrama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (एकः आश्रमः इति)

• gṛhasthasya: of the householder
• gṛhasthasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gṛhastha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• trayāṇām: of the three
• trayāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tri (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• śruti-darśanāt: from the evidence of scripture
• śruti-darśanāt: Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śruti + darśana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/Ablative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (श्रुतेः दर्शनम्)

• tasmāt: therefore
• tasmāt: Hetu (हेतु/Reason marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (तस्मात् इति निपातवत्), अर्थे ‘therefore/from that’

• gārhasthyam: householder-hood
• gārhasthyam: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: gārhasthya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• eva: indeed/only
• eva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: eva (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अवधारणार्थक-निपात (emphatic particle)

• ekam: one (alone)
• ekam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (gārhasthyam इति)

• vijñeyam: should be known
• vijñeyam: Vidhi (विधि/Predicative obligation)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √jñā (धातु) + vi + ya (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (विज्ञेय), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विधेयार्थे ‘to be known/should be known’

• dharma-sādhanam: means of dharma
• dharma-sādhanam: Viśeṣya/Predicative (विशेष्य/Predicate noun)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma + sādhanam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष-समास (धर्मस्य साधनम्)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing sages on Varnashrama Dharma

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Grihastha
• Shruti
• Varnashrama Dharma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It does not directly define Ātman; it frames dharma pragmatically through āśrama-duty, implying that spiritual realization is supported by the stable ethical and ritual base provided by gārhasthya.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights the dharmic infrastructure for sādhanā: as a householder one sustains yajña, dāna, hospitality, and support of renunciants—creating the conditions in which disciplines like Pāśupata-oriented devotion, mantra, and meditation can be pursued without neglecting social duty.

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

Indirectly: by centering śruti-based dharma rather than sectarian identity, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s synthesis where devotion and discipline—whether framed as Vaiṣṇava or Śaiva—stand upon the shared Vedic order of varṇāśrama.