Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 19

Genealogies of Kaśyapa and Pulastya; Rise of Brahmavādin Lines and Rākṣasa Branches

Devanagari script

स तासु जनयामास स्वस्त्यात्रेयान् महौजसः / वेदवेदाङ्गनिरतांस्तपसा हतकिल्बिषान्

Transliteration

sa tāsu janayāmāsa svastyātreyān mahaujasaḥ / vedavedāṅganiratāṃstapasā hatakilbiṣān

Translation

அந்த மனைவியரிடத்தில் அவர் ஸ்வஸ்த்யாத்ரேயர் எனும் புதல்வர்களை பெற்றார்—மிகுந்த ஆன்மவலிமையுடையோர்; வேதமும் வேதாங்கங்களிலும் ஈடுபட்டோர், தவத்தால் பாவம் நீங்கியோர்.

Word by Word

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• tāsu: in them (among those wives)
• tāsu: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी, बहुवचन

• janayāmāsa: begot/produced
• janayāmāsa: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: jan (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense by stem (जनयामास = caused to be born/begot)

• svasti-ātreyān: the Svastyātreyas (a group of Atris’ descendants)
• svasti-ātreyān: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svasti (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक) + ātreya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), बहुवचन; उपपद-तत्पुरुष (svasti-śabda-yuktāḥ ātreyāḥ) नामविशेषः

• mahā-ojasaḥ: of great strength
• mahā-ojasaḥ: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahā (प्रातिपदिक) + ojas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; कर्मधारय (great-vigour), विशेषण (to svastyātreyān)

• veda-veda-aṅga-niratān: engaged in the Vedas and Vedāṅgas
• veda-veda-aṅga-niratān: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: veda (प्रातिपदिक) + veda (प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + nirata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; समाहार-तत्पुरुष (engaged in Vedas and Vedāṅgas), विशेषण

• tapasā: by austerity
• tapasā: Karana (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन

• hata-kilbiṣān: with sins destroyed
• hata-kilbiṣān: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + kilbiṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (kilbiṣaṃ hataṃ yeṣām) = whose sins are destroyed; विशेषण

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting Purāṇic genealogy to the sages

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Svastyātreyas
• Atri (implied by Ātreya lineage)
• Veda
• Vedāṅgas
• Tapas

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it emphasizes inner purification (sin removed by tapas) and Vedic discipline as prerequisites for higher realization—conditions traditionally linked to steady knowledge of the Self.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Tapas (austerity/ascetic discipline) is foregrounded as a yogic purifier, paired with sustained engagement in śruti (Veda) and śāstra-support (Vedāṅgas), aligning with the Kurma Purana’s dharma-based spiritual training.

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

This verse is not explicitly sectarian; it presents a shared dharmic ideal—purification through tapas and Vedic commitment—compatible with the Kurma Purana’s broader Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis rather than emphasizing difference.