Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 123

Invocation, Purāṇa Lakṣaṇas, Kurma at the Samudra-manthana, and Indradyumna’s Liberation Teaching

Iśvara-Gītā Prelude

Devanagari script

पृष्टः प्रोवाच सकलं पुराणं कौर्ममुत्तमम् / सन्निधौ देवराजस्य तद् वक्ष्ये भवतामहम्

Transliteration

pṛṣṭaḥ provāca sakalaṃ purāṇaṃ kaurmamuttamam / sannidhau devarājasya tad vakṣye bhavatāmaham

Translation

جب اُن سے پوچھا گیا تو انہوں نے دیوراج کی حضوری میں بہترین کورم پران پورے طور پر بیان کیا؛ وہی حکایت میں اب آپ لوگوں کو سناؤں گا۔

Word by Word

• पृष्टः: having been asked
• पृष्टः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पृच्छ् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त PPP ‘having been asked’

• प्रोवाच: spoke
• प्रोवाच: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र + वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; ‘said/spoke’

• सकलम्: entire
• सकलम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सकल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular qualifying पुराणम्

• पुराणम्: Purāṇa
• पुराणम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुराण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular (object of प्रोवाच)

• कौर्मम्: Kaurma (of Kūrma)
• कौर्मम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कूर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + अण् (तद्धित)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular qualifying पुराणम्; ‘pertaining to Kūrma’

• उत्तमम्: excellent
• उत्तमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular qualifying पुराणम्

• सन्निधौ: in the presence
• सन्निधौ: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्निधि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Locative singular ‘in the presence’

• देवराजस्य: of the king of gods (Indra)
• देवराजस्य: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव + राज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Genitive singular ‘of the king of gods’

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; Accusative singular ‘that (teaching/text)’

• वक्ष्ये: I will speak/tell
• वक्ष्ये: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच् (धातु)
• Form: लृट्-लकार (Simple Future), उत्तम-पुरुष, एकवचन; Parasmaipada; ‘I shall tell’

• भवताम्: of you (hon.)
• भवताम्: Shashthi-Sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Genitive plural (honorific) ‘of you (all)’

• अहम्: I
• अहम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; pronoun ‘I’

Speaker

Suta (the narrator transmitting the Purana to the assembled sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Kurma Purana
• Indra (Devaraja)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily a transmission formula: it establishes authoritative recitation (śruti-like continuity) rather than defining Ātman directly; its implication is that liberating knowledge is received through a sanctified lineage of questioning and teaching.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific practice is taught in this line; it functions as a prologue indicating that the forthcoming Kurma Purana discourse will be delivered in full—within which disciplines like Pāśupata-oriented devotion, dharma, and yogic restraint are later detailed.

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

Indirectly: by presenting the Kurma Purana as an ‘excellent’ complete teaching handed down in a divine setting, it frames the text as a harmonizing authority where later sections integrate Śaiva (Pāśupata) and Vaiṣṇava (Kurma/Nārāyaṇa) perspectives without contradiction.