Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 61

Dakṣa’s Progeny, Nṛsiṃha–Varāha Avatāras, and Andhaka’s Defeat

Hari–Hara–Śakti Synthesis

Devanagari script

अयं धाता विधाता च स्वयञ्ज्योतिर्निरञ्जनः / प्रधानपुरुषस्तत्त्वं मूलप्रकृतिरव्ययः

Transliteration

ayaṃ dhātā vidhātā ca svayañjyotirnirañjanaḥ / pradhānapuruṣastattvaṃ mūlaprakṛtiravyayaḥ

Translation

พระองค์ทรงเป็นผู้ทรงค้ำจุนและผู้ทรงกำหนด; สว่างด้วยตนเองและปราศจากมลทิน. พระองค์คือสัจธรรมในฐานะประธานและปุรุษะ คือมูลปรกฤติอันไม่เสื่อมสลายเอง.

Word by Word

• अयम्: this (one)
• अयम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम (pronoun), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case/Nominative), एकवचन

• धाता: creator, sustainer
• धाता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhā (धा धातु) + tṛ (कृत्) → dhātṛ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृन् (agent noun), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• विधाता: ordainer, arranger
• विधाता: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vi + dhā (धा धातु) + tṛ (कृत्) → vidhātṛ (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्तृवाचक-तृन्, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• स्वयम्: by oneself, self-
• स्वयम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: svayam (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय, क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• ज्योतिः: light, radiance
• ज्योतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jyotis (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• निरञ्जनः: stainless, untainted
• निरञ्जनः: Visheshana (विशेषण/attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: nirañjana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifier)

• प्रधानपुरुषः: the Pradhāna-Puruṣa (Lord as both matter and spirit)
• प्रधानपुरुषः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pradhāna (प्रातिपदिक) + puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: 'of pradhāna'), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• तत्त्वम्: principle, reality
• तत्त्वम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tattva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• मूलप्रकृतिः: the root Prakṛti
• मूलप्रकृतिः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mūla (प्रातिपदिक) + prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-प्रायः (determinative: 'root-nature'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• अव्ययः: imperishable, immutable
• अव्ययः: Visheshana (विशेषण/attribute)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing in a synthesis of Sāṅkhya and theism

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Lord Kurma
• Pradhana
• Purusha
• Mula-Prakriti

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as self-luminous (svayaṃ-jyotiḥ) and stainless (nirañjanaḥ), indicating consciousness that is self-revealing and untouched by prakṛti’s impurities, while still being the ground of all cosmic functions.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports contemplative discrimination (viveka) used in Sāṅkhya-Yoga: meditate on the self-luminous, untainted Lord as distinct from guṇas, while recognizing Him as the inner controller of both prakṛti (pradhāna) and puruṣa.

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

By describing the Supreme as the one Reality underlying both cosmic agency and metaphysical principles (pradhāna–puruṣa), it aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian stance where the highest Lord—praised as Hari or as Īśvara—remains one and stainless beyond names.