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Shloka 21

Tāmasa Sarga, the Androgynous Division of Brahmā, and the Lineages of Dharma and Adharma

पुष्ट्या लाभः सुतश्चापि मेधापुत्रः श्रुतस्तथा / क्रियायाश्चाभवत् पुत्रो दण्डः समय एव च

puṣṭyā lābhaḥ sutaścāpi medhāputraḥ śrutastathā / kriyāyāścābhavat putro daṇḍaḥ samaya eva ca

پُشٹی سے لابھ نام کا فرزند پیدا ہوا؛ اور میدھا سے شُرت (سماعت سے حاصل علم) پیدا ہوا۔ کریا سے دَنڈ اور سَمَی—یہ دونوں فرزند ہوئے۔

पुष्ट्याःof Nourishment/Prosperity (Puṣṭi)
पुष्ट्याः:
सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootपुष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
लाभःGain
लाभः:
कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootलाभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
सुतःson
सुतः:
कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootसुत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to लाभः
and
:
समुच्चय (Coordinator)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
अपिalso
अपि:
सम्बन्धसूचक (Discourse particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; निपात (particle), अपि=also/even
मेधा-पुत्रःson of Medhā (Intelligence)
मेधा-पुत्रः:
कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootमेधा + पुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः
श्रुतःis known/said
श्रुतः:
कर्मणि-क्रिया (Passive predication/कर्मणि)
TypeVerb
Rootश्रु (धातु) → श्रुत (कृदन्त, क्त-प्रत्यय)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘is known/said’
तथाthus/likewise
तथा:
क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)
क्रियायाःof Action (Kriyā)
क्रियायाः:
सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
TypeNoun
Rootक्रिया (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन
and
:
समुच्चय (Coordinator)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)
अभवत्became/arose
अभवत्:
क्रिया (Action)
TypeVerb
Rootभू (धातु)
Formलङ्-लकार (Imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन
पुत्रःson
पुत्रः:
कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootपुत्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
दण्डःDaṇḍa (Punishment/Discipline)
दण्डः:
कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootदण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; apposition to पुत्रः
समयःSamaya (Convention/Agreement/Rule)
समयः:
कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootसमय (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
एवindeed/just
एव:
सम्बन्धसूचक (Emphasis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण (emphatic particle)
and
:
समुच्चय (Coordinator)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootच (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

Sūta (narrator) recounting the Purāṇic genealogy to the sages

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

P
Puṣṭi
L
Lābha
M
Medhā
Ś
Śruta
K
Kriyā
D
Daṇḍa
S
Samaya

FAQs

Indirectly: it frames the moral-cosmic order as arising from personified virtues (Puṣṭi, Medhā, Kriyā), implying that inner qualities and right action sustain dharma—an essential preparatory ground for realizing the Atman taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

No specific technique is taught here; the verse supplies the ethical infrastructure for sādhanā—medhā (clarity), śruta (scriptural learning), kriyā (disciplined practice), and daṇḍa/samaya (self-restraint and rule-governed conduct) that support Yoga and Purāṇic dharma.

This verse is not a direct Shiva–Vishnu unity statement; it complements the Kurma Purana’s synthesis by grounding both Shaiva and Vaishnava paths in shared dharmic principles—right action (kriyā), discipline (daṇḍa), and established observance (samaya).