Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 23
Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti
नवैते ब्रह्मणः पुत्रा ब्रह्माणो ब्राह्मणोत्तमाः / ब्रह्मवादिन एवैते मरीच्याद्यास्तु साधकाः
navaite brahmaṇaḥ putrā brahmāṇo brāhmaṇottamāḥ / brahmavādina evaite marīcyādyāstu sādhakāḥ
Chín vị ấy là các con của Brahmā—những bậc hiền thánh tối thượng, chứng tri Brahman, đứng đầu hàng Bà-la-môn. Họ thật là những người tuyên dương Brahman; bắt đầu từ Marīci, đều là các hành giả đã thành tựu (sādhaka).
Narrator (Purāṇic narrator, traditionally Sūta speaking in a sages’ assembly)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
FAQs
By calling these sages “brahmavādins” and “brahmāṇaḥ,” the verse emphasizes realization and teaching of Brahman/Ātman as the highest truth, presenting spiritual authority as grounded in direct knowledge of Brahman rather than mere lineage.
The verse does not list techniques, but it frames the nine sages as “sādhakas,” implying disciplined sādhanā—Vedic study, tapas, and contemplative realization—consistent with the Kurma Purana’s broader emphasis on yogic restraint and devotion-oriented knowledge.
It does so indirectly: by centering “Brahman-teaching” (brahmavāda) and accomplished sādhanā, it aligns with the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where ultimate reality (Brahman/Iśvara) transcends sectarian labels, harmonizing Shaiva and Vaishnava approaches through shared realization.