Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 60

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

Devanagari script

प्रणम्य मूर्ध्ना पुनरेव दैत्यो निपातयामास जलं कराग्रे / दास्ये तवात्मानमनन्तधाम्ने त्रिविक्रमायामितविक्रमाय

Transliteration

praṇamya mūrdhnā punareva daityo nipātayāmāsa jalaṃ karāgre / dāsye tavātmānamanantadhāmne trivikramāyāmitavikramāya

Translation

ดั้ยตยะนั้นก้มเศียรกราบอีกครั้ง แล้วในพิธีถวายทานได้หลั่งน้ำจากปลายมือ และกล่าวว่า “ข้าขอมอบตนเข้าสู่การรับใช้พระองค์ โอ้ตรีวิกรม ผู้มีที่สถิตอนันต์ ผู้มีพระก้าวย่างหาประมาณมิได้”

Word by Word

• प्रणम्य: having bowed
• प्रणम्य: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नम् (धातु) उपसर्ग-प्र (प्र+नम्)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय-भाव (absolutive/gerund), ‘having bowed’

• मूर्ध्ना: with (his) head
• मूर्ध्ना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मूर्धन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निपात (emphasis)

• दैत्यः: the Daitya (Bali)
• दैत्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दैत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• निपातयामास: poured / caused to fall
• निपातयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पत् (धातु) causative: पातय (णिच्) + उपसर्ग-नि (नि+पातय)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; causative sense ‘caused to fall/poured’

• जलम्: water
• जलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• कर-अग्रे: on the tip of the hand
• कर-अग्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (करस्य अग्रे)

• दास्ये: in servitude
• दास्ये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दास्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक (state/condition)

• तव: of you / your
• तव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• आत्मानम्: myself
• आत्मानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अनन्त-धाम्ने: to the one of endless abode/splendor
• अनन्त-धाम्ने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + धामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अनन्तं धाम यस्य/अनन्तं धाम)

• त्रिविक्रमाय: to Trivikrama
• त्रिविक्रमाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (त्रीणि विक्रमाणि यस्य)

• अमित-विक्रमाय: to the one of immeasurable prowess
• अमित-विक्रमाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अमित (प्रातिपदिक) + विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय (अमितः विक्रमः यस्य)

Speaker

Narrator (Purāṇic narration describing the Daitya’s act of self-surrender to Vāmana/Trivikrama)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Trivikrama
• Vamana
• Daitya (Bali)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It frames true offering as offering the very self (ātmānam) to the Supreme—implying that surrender is deeper than external gifts, aligning the individual self with the Lord’s infinite reality (ananta-dhāman).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse highlights śaraṇāgati (total surrender) and dāsya-bhāva (servant-attitude), inner disciplines that support one-pointed devotion and ego-transcendence—core preparatory virtues echoed in Kurma Purana’s yogic and dharmic teachings.

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

While the named deity here is Trivikrama (Vishnu), the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis treats such surrender as directed to the one Supreme Lord beyond sectarian division, harmonizing Shaiva and Vaishnava orientations through a shared theology of devotion and liberation.