Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 12

Cosmic Night, Nārāyaṇa as Brahmā, and the Varāha Raising of the Earth

Devanagari script

नमः स्वयंभुवे तुभ्यं स्त्रष्ट्रे सर्वार्थवेदिने / नमो हिरण्यगर्भाय वेधसे परमात्मने

Transliteration

namaḥ svayaṃbhuve tubhyaṃ straṣṭre sarvārthavedine / namo hiraṇyagarbhāya vedhase paramātmane

Translation

ขอนอบน้อมแด่พระองค์ ผู้บังเกิดด้วยตนเอง ผู้สร้างสรรพสิ่ง ผู้รู้ความหมายและเป้าหมายทั้งปวง; ขอนอบน้อมแด่หิรัณยครรภะ แด่เวธัสผู้กำหนด และแด่ปรมาตมัน

Word by Word

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे प्रयोगः

• स्वयंभुवे: to the self-born one
• स्वयंभुवे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वयंभू (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• तुभ्यम्: to you
• तुभ्यम्: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• स्त्रष्ट्रे: to the creator
• स्त्रष्ट्रे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्रष्टृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; कर्तृवाचक-नाम (agent noun)

• सर्वार्थवेदिने: to the knower of all meanings/purposes
• सर्वार्थवेदिने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व + अर्थ + वेदिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (सर्वेषाम् अर्थानां वेदिता)

• नमः: salutation
• नमः: Sambandha (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नमस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; नमस्कारार्थे

• हिरण्यगर्भाय: to Hiraṇyagarbha
• हिरण्यगर्भाय: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हिरण्य + गर्भ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुषप्रायः (हिरण्यः गर्भः यस्य/हिरण्यगर्भः)

• वेधसे: to the ordainer/creator (Vedhas)
• वेधसे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वेधस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• परमात्मने: to the Supreme Self
• परमात्मने: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम + आत्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (परमः आत्मा)

Speaker

A devotee/narrator offering a stuti (hymn) to Brahmā within the Purāṇic narration

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Svayaṃbhū (Brahmā)
• Hiraṇyagarbha
• Vedhas
• Paramātman

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By calling the cosmic creator “Paramātman,” the verse points beyond the personal creator-form to the Supreme Self that underlies and empowers creation—suggesting a single ultimate reality expressed through cosmic functions.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

This verse functions as a stuti used for bhakti-based concentration (smaraṇa and dhyāna): repeating divine epithets like Svayaṃbhū and Paramātman steadies the mind on the cosmic principle behind creation, a supportive foundation for later Pāśupata-style discipline and contemplation.

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

Though addressed to the creator (Brahmā), the use of the title “Paramātman” aligns with the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian tendency: the highest reality is one, while deities represent its roles—supporting a Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis rather than rivalry.