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Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 55

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

अथोपतस्थे भगवाननादिः पितामहास्तोषयामास विष्णुम् / भित्त्वा तदण्डस्य कपालमूर्ध्वं जगाम दिव्यावरणानि भूयः

athopatasthe bhagavānanādiḥ pitāmahāstoṣayāmāsa viṣṇum / bhittvā tadaṇḍasya kapālamūrdhvaṃ jagāma divyāvaraṇāni bhūyaḥ

แล้วพระภควานผู้ไร้ปฐมเหตุได้รับการบูชาโดยชอบ; ปิตามหะพรหมาได้สรรเสริญจนพระวิษณุทรงพอพระทัย ครั้นทรงผ่าโดมเบื้องบนอันดุจกะโหลกของไข่จักรวาลแล้ว ก็เสด็จผ่านชั้นห่อหุ้มทิพย์ทั้งหลายต่อไปอีกครั้ง॥

athathen
atha:
Sambandha/Anukrama (सम्बन्ध/अनुक्रम)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootatha (अव्यय)
FormParticle/adverb (अनन्तरार्थक अव्यय)
upatasthestood near/approached
upatasthe:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootupa-√sthā (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd Person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); ātmanepada usage
bhagavānthe Blessed Lord
bhagavān:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular
anādiḥbeginningless
anādiḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootanādi (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Singular; adjective qualifying bhagavān
pitāmahāḥthe Pitāmahas (forefathers)
pitāmahāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpitāmaha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural (बहुवचन)
toṣayāmāsapleased/satisfied
toṣayāmāsa:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√tuṣ (धातु)
FormCausative (णिच्) + Perfect periphrastic (लिट्), 3rd Person, Singular; ‘caused to be pleased’
viṣṇumViṣṇu
viṣṇum:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular
bhittvāhaving split
bhittvā:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeVerb
Root√bhid (धातु)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from √bhid; prior action
tad-aṇḍasyaof that cosmic egg
tad-aṇḍasya:
Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Roottad (प्रातिपदिक) + aṇḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormGenitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; ‘of that egg/cosmic egg’
kapāla-mūrdhvamthe upper shell/upper cover
kapāla-mūrdhvam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootkapāla (प्रातिपदिक) + ūrdhva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; karmadhāraya: ‘the upper (ūrdhva) part like a skull/cover (kapāla)’ i.e., upper shell
jagāmawent
jagāma:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√gam (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd Person, Singular
divya-āvaraṇānithe divine enclosures
divya-āvaraṇāni:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootdivya (प्रातिपदिक) + āvaraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन); karmadhāraya ‘divine coverings/enclosures’
bhūyaḥagain/further
bhūyaḥ:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootbhūyaḥ (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (पुनरर्थक अव्यय)

Narrator (Purāṇic narration, describing Brahmā’s action and praise of Viṣṇu)

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

B
Brahmā (Pitāmaha)
V
Viṣṇu
B
Brahmāṇḍa (Cosmic Egg)
D
Divine Envelopes (Āvaraṇas)

FAQs

By calling the Lord “anādi” (beginningless) and showing Brahmā’s dependence on Him, the verse implies a Supreme Reality prior to creation—transcending the brahmāṇḍa and its coverings—toward which even the creator turns in devotion.

While not a procedural yoga verse, it points to the yogic principle of transcending successive “āvaraṇas” (enveloping layers). In Kurma Purana’s spiritual idiom, this aligns with inner ascent beyond gross and subtle limitations through devotion (bhakti) and contemplative penetration of cosmic/psychic sheaths.

It presents a Purāṇic non-sectarian theology: Brahmā praises Viṣṇu as the beginningless Bhagavān, reflecting the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis where the Supreme Lord is one, honored through different divine forms (including Shaiva-Vaishnava unity across the text).