Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 3

Cosmic Manifestation, Mahāmāyā’s Mandate, Varṇāśrama-Dharma, and the Unity of the Trimūrti

Devanagari script

अहं नारायणो देवः पूर्वमासं न मे परम् / उपास्य विपुलां निद्रां भोगिशय्यां समाश्रितः

Transliteration

ahaṃ nārāyaṇo devaḥ pūrvamāsaṃ na me param / upāsya vipulāṃ nidrāṃ bhogiśayyāṃ samāśritaḥ

Translation

Ta là Nārāyaṇa, Đấng Chúa Tể thiêng liêng. Thuở ban sơ chỉ một mình Ta hiện hữu—không có gì cao hơn Ta. Nhập vào giấc ngủ đại định (yoga-nidrā), Ta an nghỉ trên long sàng của rắn thiêng.

Word by Word

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun; Prathamā/Nominative, Ekavacana

• nārāyaṇaḥ: Nārāyaṇa
• nārāyaṇaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nārāyaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Prathamā/Nominative, Ekavacana

• devaḥ: god
• devaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Prathamā/Nominative, Ekavacana; in apposition to nārāyaṇaḥ

• pūrvam: formerly
• pūrvam: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: pūrva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya; adverb of time (कालवाचक अव्यय)

• āsam: was
• āsam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Laṅ/Imperfect (लङ्), Uttama-puruṣa (उत्तमपुरुष), Ekavacana; parasmaipada

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Avyaya; negation particle (निषेध)

• me: of me / for me
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (अस्मद् सर्वनाम)
• Form: Pronoun; Ṣaṣṭhī/Genitive, Ekavacana (enclitic)

• param: anything higher/superior
• param: Pradhāna-viśeṣaṇa (प्रधानविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Napumsaka, Prathamā/Nominative, Ekavacana; predicate adjective (implicit 'asti')

• upāsya: having resorted to / having entered upon
• upāsya: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: upa + ās (आस् धातु, सेवायाम्) + lyap (ल्यप्)
• Form: Absolutive/Gerund (क्त्वान्त/ल्यबन्त अव्ययकृदन्त); expresses prior action

• vipulām: vast
• vipulām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vipula (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dvitīyā/Accusative, Ekavacana; qualifies nidrām

• nidrām: sleep
• nidrām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nidrā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Dvitīyā/Accusative, Ekavacana

• bhogi-śayyām: the serpent-couch (bed of the serpent)
• bhogi-śayyām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhogin (प्रातिपदिक) + śayyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Tatpuruṣa (भोगिनः शय्या); Feminine, Dvitīyā/Accusative, Ekavacana; object with samāśritaḥ

• samāśritaḥ: having taken refuge in / resting upon
• samāśritaḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: sam-ā-śri (श्रि धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past active participle (क्त, कर्तरि); Masculine, Prathamā/Nominative, Ekavacana; agrees with aham

Speaker

Lord Nārāyaṇa (Hari) as the primordial narrator in the Kurma Purana’s creation context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Narayana
• Yoganidra
• Ananta (Serpent-couch)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as self-existent and unsurpassed—an Īśvara who remains before manifestation. The “vast yogic sleep” implies sovereign inwardness (yoga) rather than ordinary ignorance, indicating consciousness that can withdraw and project creation.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The key idea is yoganidrā—intentional, controlled withdrawal into a deep contemplative state associated with pralaya (dissolution) and sṛṣṭi (emanation). It aligns with yogic mastery where the Lord abides in stillness before initiating cosmic activity.

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

By emphasizing one unsurpassed Supreme (parama-īśvara) who transcends phases of creation and dissolution, the verse supports the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology where sectarian names (Hari/Śiva) point to a single highest reality expressed through different functions.