Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching

Iśvara-Gītā Prelude

Devanagari script

आद्यं सनत्कुमारोक्तं नारसिहमतः परम् / तृतीयं स्कान्दमुद्दिष्टं कुमारेण तु भाषितम्

Transliteration

ādyaṃ sanatkumāroktaṃ nārasihamataḥ param / tṛtīyaṃ skāndamuddiṣṭaṃ kumāreṇa tu bhāṣitam

Translation

คำสอนแรกสันัตกุมารได้กล่าวไว้; ถัดไปคือคตินารสิงห์ ประการที่สามถูกระบุว่าเป็นคำสอนสกานทะ และสิ่งนั้นเองกุมาระได้อธิบายไว้

Word by Word

• ādyam: First
• ādyam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ādya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• sanatkumāroktam: Spoken by Sanatkumara
• sanatkumāroktam: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sanatkumārokta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• nārasiṃham: Narasimha Purana
• nārasiṃham: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārasiṃha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• ataḥ: From this / After this
• ataḥ: Apadana (Source context)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ataḥ (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb

• param: Next / Subsequent
• param: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• tṛtīyam: Third
• tṛtīyam: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tṛtīya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Ordinal, Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• skāndam: Skanda Purana
• skāndam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: skānda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular

• uddiṣṭam: Mentioned / Declared
• uddiṣṭam: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: diś (धातु) + kta
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Neuter, Nominative, Singular

• kumāreṇa: By Kumara
• kumāreṇa: Karta (Agent/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kumāra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular

• tu: And / But
• tu: null
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle

• bhāṣitam: Spoken
• bhāṣitam: Visheshana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bhāṣ (धातु) + kta
• Form: Past Passive Participle, Neuter, Nominative, Singular

Speaker

Sūta (traditional Purāṇic narrator) describing the transmission-line of teachings in the Kurma Purana’s opening section

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Sanatkumāra
• Nārasiṁha
• Skanda
• Kumāra

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is not a direct Ātman-definition; it frames authority through paramparā (lineages). In the Kurma Purana’s synthesis, such lineages safeguard the one Supreme Reality taught variously through Shaiva and Vaishnava doctrinal lenses.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yoga technique is stated here; the verse functions as a catalog of doctrinal streams. In the Kurma Purana, these streams later support disciplined practice—especially Pāśupata-oriented devotion, mantra, and contemplative knowledge—presented as complementary paths.

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

Indirectly: by listing multiple authoritative ‘mata’ (views), it models a non-sectarian Purāṇic method where Shaiva and Vaishnava teachings can be transmitted side-by-side as valid expressions within a unified dharmic framework.