Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

Virocana–Bali, Aditi’s Tapas, and the Vāmana–Trivikrama Episode

Devanagari script

विचक्रमे पृथिवीमेष एता- मथान्तरिक्षं दिवमादिदेवः / व्यपेतरागं दितिजेश्वरं तं प्रकर्तुकामः शरणं प्रपन्नम्

Transliteration

vicakrame pṛthivīmeṣa etā- mathāntarikṣaṃ divamādidevaḥ / vyapetarāgaṃ ditijeśvaraṃ taṃ prakartukāmaḥ śaraṇaṃ prapannam

Translation

พระอาทิเทพ (วามน-วิษณุ) ก้าวครอบคลุมแผ่นดินนี้ แล้วครอบคลุมอากาศระหว่างกลาง และต่อด้วยสวรรค์ ทั้งนี้ด้วยพระประสงค์จะยุติพญาพลีเจ้าแห่งทานพ ผู้ไร้ราคะและได้เข้ามอบตนเป็นผู้ขอพึ่งพระองค์

Word by Word

• vicakrame: strode, stepped across
• vicakrame: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi√kram (धातु)
• Form: Liṭ-lakāra (perfect), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd), Ekavacana, ātmanepada

• pṛthivīm: the earth
• pṛthivīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pṛthivī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• eṣaḥ: this (one)
• eṣaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता) (apposition to ādidevaḥ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana

• etām: this
• etām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: etad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with pṛthivīm

• atha: then
• atha: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्धबोधक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: atha (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; discourse particle (then/and)

• antarikṣam: the mid-region, atmosphere
• antarikṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: antarikṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• divam: heaven
• divam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: div (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Strīliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana

• ādi-devaḥ: the primeval god
• ādi-devaḥ: Kartā (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ādi (प्रातिपदिक) + deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; samāsa: karmadhāraya

• vyapeta-rāgam: whose passion/attachment had departed
• vyapeta-rāgam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi-apa√i (धातु) → vyapeta (कृदन्त) + rāga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with ditijeśvaram; samāsa: tatpuruṣa (rāgaḥ vyapetaḥ yasya)

• ditija-īśvaram: the lord of the Dānavas (asuras)
• ditija-īśvaram: Karma (कर्म) (object of making/doing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ditija (प्रातिपदिक) + īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; samāsa: tatpuruṣa

• tam: him
• tam: Karma (कर्म) (anaphoric)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Sarvanāma, Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; refers to ditijeśvaram

• prakartu-kāmaḥ: desiring to accomplish (his purpose)
• prakartu-kāmaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of kartā (ādidevaḥ)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra√kṛ (धातु) + kāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Puṃliṅga, Prathamā, Ekavacana; samāsa: tatpuruṣa; sense: 'desirous to do/make'

• śaraṇam: refuge
• śaraṇam: Karma (कर्म) (goal taken)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napuṃsakalिङ्ग, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; with prapannam (as object/complement)

• prapannam: having sought, surrendered (to refuge)
• prapannam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of karma
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pra√pad (धातु)
• Form: Kta (क्त) past participle, Puṃliṅga, Dvitīyā, Ekavacana; agrees with ditijeśvaram/tam

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the Vāmana–Bali episode in the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga narrative frame

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Ādideva (Viṣṇu/Vāmana)
• Bali
• Ditija (Diti-born asuras/dānavas)
• Pṛthivī
• Antarikṣa
• Diva (Svarga)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By presenting the Ādideva as pervading earth, atmosphere, and heaven through a single divine act, the verse points to a Lord whose presence and sovereignty are cosmic—suggesting the Supreme as all-pervasive and transcending limited location, while still engaging the world through līlā.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse foregrounds śaraṇāgati (taking refuge) and vairāgya (vyapeta-rāga, dispassion) as inner disciplines: Bali’s surrender and freedom from passion indicate the devotional-yogic posture of relinquishing egoic claim and accepting the Lord’s ordinance as dharma.

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

Although explicitly Vaishnava in imagery (Vāmana’s strides), the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis treats surrender, dispassion, and dharma as shared spiritual principles across Śaiva-Vaiṣṇava teaching; the same refuge-ethic later aligns with the Purana’s Shaiva-yogic emphases (e.g., Pāśupata-oriented discipline).