Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 9

Dvīpa-Varṣa Vibhāga and the Priyavrata–Agnīdhra Lineage

Cosmic Geography and Royal Succession

Devanagari script

मेधाग्निबाहुपुत्रास्तु त्रयो योगपरायणाः / जातिस्मरा महाभागा न राज्ये दधिरे मतिम्

Transliteration

medhāgnibāhuputrāstu trayo yogaparāyaṇāḥ / jātismarā mahābhāgā na rājye dadhire matim

Translation

ஆனால் மேதாக்னிபாஹுவின் மூன்று புதல்வர்கள் யோகத்தில் முழுமையாக ஈடுபட்டவர்கள். அவர்கள் முன்ஜன்மங்களை நினைவுகூரும் மகாபாகர்கள்; அரசாட்சியில் மனம் வைக்கவில்லை.

Word by Word

• मेधा-अग्नि-बाहु-पुत्राः: sons of Medhā, Agni, and Bāhu
• मेधा-अग्नि-बाहु-पुत्राः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मेधा (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक) + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative): ‘मेधाया अग्नेः बाहोः पुत्राः’

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थक ‘but/indeed’

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक (cardinal)

• योग-परायणाः: devoted to yoga
• योग-परायणाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: योग (प्रातिपदिक) + परायण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (determinative): ‘योगे परायणाः’

• जाति-स्मराः: remembering their former births
• जाति-स्मराः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जाति (प्रातिपदिक) + स्मर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष: ‘जातिं स्मरन्ति’ (those who remember their birth/previous births)

• महा-भागाः: very fortunate/noble
• महा-भागाः: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier of subject)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + भाग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय: ‘महान्तः भागाः/महाभाग्यवन्तः’

• न: not
• न: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• राज्ये: in kingship/sovereignty
• राज्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location-Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राज्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• दधिरे: they placed/held
• दधिरे: Kriya (क्रिया/Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद; अर्थः ‘धारयामासुः/अधारयन्’

• मतिम्: their mind/intent
• मतिम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrating to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Medhāgnibāhu
• the three sons (unnamed)
• Yoga

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By portraying yogins who remember past births and reject royal power, the verse implies that the Self is continuous beyond one lifetime; realization of that continuity naturally turns the mind away from transient status toward liberation-oriented knowledge and Yoga.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights yogaparāyaṇatā—single-minded commitment to yogic discipline—and vairāgya (dispassion). In Kurma Purana’s Shaiva-Vaishnava synthesis, such steadiness is a hallmark of mature sādhanā leading toward īśvara-prāpti rather than worldly sovereignty.

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

Indirectly: the shared ideal is devotion to Yoga and renunciation of egoic power, a common ground in the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian tone where the highest aim is īśvara-realization (whether articulated in Shaiva Pāśupata idiom or Vaishnava Bhagavān-centered language).