Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Measure of the Three Worlds, Planetary Spheres, and Sūrya as the Root of Trailokya

Devanagari script

उपरिष्टात् त्रयस्तेषां ग्रहा ये दूरसर्पिणः / सौरो ऽङ्गिराश्च वक्रश्च ज्ञेया मन्दविचारिणः

Transliteration

upariṣṭāt trayasteṣāṃ grahā ye dūrasarpiṇaḥ / sauro 'ṅgirāśca vakraśca jñeyā mandavicāriṇaḥ

Translation

Ở phía trên đó có ba hành tinh (graha) đi xa theo quỹ đạo của mình: Sao Thổ (Saurā), Aṅgiras tức Sao Mộc, và Vakra tức Sao Hỏa. Nên hiểu rằng chúng vận hành chậm chạp.

Word by Word

• उपरिष्टात्: above
• उपरिष्टात्: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उपरिष्टात् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (adverb of place)

• त्रयः: three
• त्रयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रि (संख्याप्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; संख्यावाचक

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन; सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• ग्रहाः: planets
• ग्रहाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• ये: which/who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; सम्बन्धक (relative pronoun)

• दूर-सर्पिणः: moving far/slow-moving (at a distance)
• दूर-सर्पिणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूर + सर्पिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण—ग्रहाः

• सौरः: Saturn (Sauri)
• सौरः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सौर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ग्रहविशेष-नाम

• अङ्गिराः: Jupiter (Aṅgirā)
• अङ्गिराः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अङ्गिरस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ग्रहविशेष-नाम (बृहस्पति)

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

• वक्रः: Vakra (the retrograde one; a planet-name)
• वक्रः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ग्रहविशेष-नाम (मन्दगामी/वक्रगति—मङ्गल/राहु इत्यादि; अत्र ग्रह-नामरूपेण)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चयार्थक

• ज्ञेयाः: are to be known/should be understood
• ज्ञेयाः: Kriya (क्रियासमान-विधेय)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ज्ञा (धातु) + य (कृत्)
• Form: कृत्य-प्रत्ययान्त (gerundive/future passive participle) ‘ज्ञेय’; पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विधेय (predicate)

• मन्द-विचारिणः: slow-moving/slow in motion
• मन्द-विचारिणः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मन्द + विचारिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; विशेषण—(ग्रहाः)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) recounting the Purāṇic cosmology to the sages in the Naimiṣa setting (astronomical section).

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Grahāḥ (Planets)
• Saura (Saturn)
• Aṅgiras/Bṛhaspati (Jupiter)
• Vakra (Mars)
• Sūrya (implied by 'Saura')

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily cosmological, mapping planetary motion; indirectly, Purāṇic cosmology is used to situate the ordered universe within dharma and īśvara-niyati (divine law), rather than giving a direct Ātman teaching.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga practice is taught in this śloka; its value is contextual—Purāṇic cosmology supports dhyāna by providing a sacred, orderly vision of the universe (jagat) governed by ṛta/dharma.

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

It does not directly address Śiva–Viṣṇu unity; it belongs to the cosmology stream of the Kurma Purāṇa, which elsewhere integrates Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava theology, while here focusing on graha-classification and motion.