Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 5

Nine Creations (Sarga), Guṇa-Streams of Beings, and Brahmā’s Progeny in Cyclic Time

Devanagari script

तं दृष्ट्वासाधकं सर्गममन्यदपरं प्रभुः / तस्याभिध्यायतः सर्गस्तिर्यक्स्त्रोतो ऽभ्यवर्तत

Transliteration

taṃ dṛṣṭvāsādhakaṃ sargamamanyadaparaṃ prabhuḥ / tasyābhidhyāyataḥ sargastiryakstroto 'bhyavartata

Translation

Nang makita ng Panginoon na ang paglikhang iyon ay di angkop sa layon, nag-isip Siya ng iba pa. Sa Kanyang pagninilay, lumitaw ang paglikhang tinatawag na “tiryak-srotas”—mga nilalang na ang agos ng buhay ay dumadaloy nang pahalang, ang kaharian ng mga hayop.

Word by Word

• tam: that (it)
• tam: Karma (कर्म/object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; pronoun

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriyā (क्रिया/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययभाव (gerund), ‘having seen’

• a-sādhakam: ineffective/not accomplishing
• a-sādhakam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a + sādhaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; negative a-; qualifying sargam

• sargam: creation
• sargam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• amanyata: considered/thought
• amanyata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: man (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘thought/considered’

• aparam: another
• aparam: Karma (कर्म/object-complement)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: apara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; qualifying (another) sarga implied

• prabhuḥ: the Lord
• prabhuḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: prabhu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• tasya: of him
• tasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन

• abhidhyāyataḥ: of (him) contemplating
• abhidhyāyataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/genitive qualifier)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + dhyai (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (present active participle), षष्ठी (6th), एकवचन; ‘of (him) contemplating’

• sargaḥ: creation
• sargaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• tiryak-srotaḥ: the ‘tiryak-srotas’ (animal) creation
• tiryak-srotaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tiryak + srotas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘the (creation) with transverse stream’ (name of a sarga)

• abhyavartata: came forth/occurred
• abhyavartata: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: abhi + vṛt (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/लङ्), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; ‘came into being/occurred’

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the cosmic creation under the Lord’s will

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Prabhu (Ishvara)
• Tiryak-srotas

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme Lord as the conscious source whose mere contemplation (abhidhyāna) precipitates manifestation—implying that ultimate reality is awareness that can project ordered creation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The key motif is īśvara-abhidhyāna—contemplation of the Lord—an archetype for dhyāna in Yoga-shāstra, where focused awareness becomes the causal force for inner transformation (and, in cosmology, for emanation).

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

By using the non-sectarian title “Prabhu/Iśvara” for the creative absolute, the verse supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic stance: the supreme divine principle can be spoken of in Shaiva or Vaishnava idiom without contradiction.