Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 57

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

Devanagari script

गत्वा महान्तं प्रकृतिं प्रधानं ब्रह्माणमेकं पुरुषं स्वबीजम् / अतिष्ठदीशस्य पदं तदव्ययं दृष्ट्वा देवास्तत्र तत्र स्तुवन्ति

Transliteration

gatvā mahāntaṃ prakṛtiṃ pradhānaṃ brahmāṇamekaṃ puruṣaṃ svabījam / atiṣṭhadīśasya padaṃ tadavyayaṃ dṛṣṭvā devāstatra tatra stuvanti

Translation

Nang malampasan ang Mahat, Prakṛti, at Pradhāna, at makilala ang iisang Brahman—ang nag-iisang Puruṣa na sanhi ng sarili (ang binhi ay nasa Kanya rin)—Siya’y nanatili sa di-nasisirang kalagayan ng Panginoon. Pagkakita sa kataas-taasang kalagayang iyon, ang mga diyos doon at sa lahat ng dako ay umaawit ng mga papuri.

Word by Word

• gatvā: having gone
• gatvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √gam (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from √gam; prior action

• mahāntam: great
• mahāntam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mahant (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies puruṣam/brahmāṇam (contextual)

• prakṛtim: Prakṛti (primordial nature)
• prakṛtim: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prakṛti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• pradhānam: the Pradhāna (chief principle)
• pradhānam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pradhāna (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter/Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; used appositionally with prakṛtim (‘the chief/Pradhāna’)

• brahmāṇam: Brahmā / the Creator
• brahmāṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: brahman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• ekam: one
• ekam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies puruṣam/brahmāṇam

• puruṣam: the Person (Puruṣa)
• puruṣam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puruṣa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• sva-bījam: with his own seed/source
• sva-bījam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदik) + bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; tatpuruṣa ‘having/with one’s own seed’ used adjectivally (bahuvrīhi-like sense but form as tatpuruṣa) qualifying puruṣam

• atiṣṭhat: stood/abided
• atiṣṭhat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-√sthā (धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd Person, Singular; parasmaipada

• īśasya: of the Lord
• īśasya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular

• padam: the abode/position
• padam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Demonstrative pronoun; Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies padam

• avyayam: imperishable
• avyayam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: avyaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Singular; qualifies padam

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √dṛś (धातु)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त), from √dṛś; prior action

• devāḥ: the gods
• devāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural

• tatra: there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक अव्यय)

• tatra: here and there
• tatra: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatra (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (पुनरुक्ति—emphatic repetition)

• stuvanti: praise
• stuvanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √stu (धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), 3rd Person, Plural

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) narrating an Ishvara-centered yogic realization in the Kurma Purana’s Purva-bhaga context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mahat
• Prakriti
• Pradhana
• Brahman
• Purusha
• Ishvara
• Devas

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as one Brahman/Puruṣa, self-caused and beyond Prakṛti and its evolutes (like Mahat), indicating an imperishable, non-material ground of consciousness identified with Īśvara’s highest station.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse implies a discriminative, contemplative ascent (viveka) beyond tattvas—Mahat, Prakṛti, Pradhāna—culminating in firm establishment (niṣṭhā) in Īśvara’s imperishable state, aligning with Kurma Purana’s Ishvara-oriented yogic realization.

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

By centering realization on Īśvara as the one imperishable Brahman/Puruṣa beyond Prakṛti, it supports the Kurma Purana’s integrative stance: the Supreme Lord praised by the devas transcends sectarian labels, enabling Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis in devotion and metaphysics.