Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 45

Ikṣvāku-vaṃśa (Genealogy) culminating in Rāma; Setu-liṅga Māhātmya; Continuation through Kuśa and Lava

Devanagari script

कृत्वाथ वानरशतैर्लङ्कामार्गं महोदधेः / सेतुं परमधर्मात्मा रावणं हतवान् प्रभुः

Transliteration

kṛtvātha vānaraśatairlaṅkāmārgaṃ mahodadheḥ / setuṃ paramadharmātmā rāvaṇaṃ hatavān prabhuḥ

Translation

Depois o Senhor, supremamente devotado ao dharma, fez com centenas de vānaras abrissem uma passagem até Laṅkā sobre o grande oceano; construiu o Setu e abateu Rāvaṇa.

Word by Word

• कृत्वा: having made/done
• कृत्वा: Kriya (क्रिया-अनुबन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: kṛ (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund/absolutive), पूर्वकाले (having done)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (then/now)

• वानरशतैः: by hundreds of monkeys
• वानरशतैः: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vānara-śata (प्रातिपदिक; वानर + शत)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वानराणां शतम्)

• लङ्कामार्गम्: the path to Lanka
• लङ्कामार्गम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: laṅkā-mārga (प्रातिपदिक; लङ्का + मार्ग)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (लङ्कायाः मार्गः)

• महोदधेः: of the great ocean
• महोदधेः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mahā-udadhi (प्रातिपदिक; महा + उदधि)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; कर्मधारय (महान् उदधिः)

• सेतुम्: bridge/causeway
• सेतुम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: setu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• परमधर्मात्मा: one of supremely righteous nature
• परमधर्मात्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama-dharma-ātman (प्रातिपदिक; परम + धर्म + आत्मन्)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि (यस्य आत्मा परमधर्मः सः)

• रावणम्: Ravana
• रावणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāvaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• हतवान्: slew/has slain
• हतवान्: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: han (धातु) + vat (कृत्)
• Form: क्तवतु-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (perfect participle used as finite), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तरि प्रयोगः (he has slain)

• प्रभुः: the lord/master
• प्रभुः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (Sūta/authorial voice) describing Śrī Rāma as the prabhu

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Rama
• Vanaras
• Lanka
• Ocean (Mahodadhi)
• Setu (bridge)
• Ravana

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling Rāma “prabhuḥ” and “paramadharmātmā,” the verse presents the Supreme as manifesting in history to uphold dharma—showing that the Lord’s inner nature is righteousness and sovereign agency, not merely human effort.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No seated meditation is described; the emphasis is karma-yoga: disciplined, dharma-aligned action (building the setu, protecting the world) performed under divine purpose—an ethical foundation that the Kurma Purana later connects to higher yogic realization.

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

Though it names Rāma (a Viṣṇu-form), the Kurma Purana’s synthesis reads “prabhuḥ” as the one Supreme Lord worshipped in both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava modes—dharma is upheld by the same ultimate reality beyond sectarian division.