Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 11

Sūrya’s Celestial Car: Ādityas, Ṛṣis, Gandharvas, Apsarases, Nāgas, and the Two-Month Cosmic Cycle

Devanagari script

धनञ्जयो महापद्मस्तथा कर्कोटको द्विजाः / कम्बलाश्वतरश्चैव वहन्त्येनं यथाक्रमम्

Transliteration

dhanañjayo mahāpadmastathā karkoṭako dvijāḥ / kambalāśvataraścaiva vahantyenaṃ yathākramam

Translation

اے دْوِجوں! دھننجَے، مہاپدم، کرکوٹک؛ نیز کمبل اور اشوتر—یہ عظیم ناگ اسے ترتیب کے مطابق اٹھائے ہوئے ہیں۔

Word by Word

• धनञ्जयः: Dhanañjaya (name)
• धनञ्जयः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धनञ्जय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• महापद्मः: Mahāpadma (name)
• महापद्मः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा (प्रातिपदिक) + पद्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; कर्मधारय: महत् पद्मः (name)

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb)

• कर्कोटकः: Karkoṭaka (name)
• कर्कोटकः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कर्कोटक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• द्विजाः: O twice-born (brāhmaṇas)
• द्विजाः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन (Plural)

• कम्बलाश्वतरः: Kambalāśvatara (name)
• कम्बलाश्वतरः: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कम्बल (प्रातिपदिक) + अश्वतर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (name)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निश्चय/अवधारण-अव्यय (particle of emphasis)

• वहन्ति: they carry/bear
• वहन्ति: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicate)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वह् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• एनम्: him/this one
• एनम्: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (contextual), द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• यथाक्रमम्: in order, successively
• यथाक्रमम्: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण/Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय) + क्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययीभाव-समास; अव्यय (adverb): ‘in due order’

Speaker

Sūta (traditional Purāṇic narrator) addressing the sages (dvijas)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: vira

Characters & Entities

• Dhanañjaya
• Mahāpadma
• Karkoṭaka
• Kambala
• Aśvatara
• Nāgas

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily cosmographical: it lists nāga powers who “bear” the divine presence/vehicle in ordered sequence, implying a universe upheld by dharmic order rather than describing the Ātman directly.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga practice is taught in this line; its emphasis is on yathākramam—proper order—supporting the Purāṇic theme that disciplined order (a prerequisite for sādhana) underlies cosmic stability.

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

The verse itself does not state Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; it contributes to the broader Kurma Purana synthesis by presenting a shared Purāṇic cosmology where divine order is upheld by sacred beings (nāgas) within the same overarching dharma framework.