Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 46

Manvantaras, Indras, Saptarṣis, and the Seven Sustaining Manifestations; Vyāsa as Nārāyaṇa

Devanagari script

प्रधानं पुरुषः कालस्तत्त्वत्रयमनुत्तमम् / वासुदेवात्मकं नित्यमेतद् विज्ञाय मुच्यते

Transliteration

pradhānaṃ puruṣaḥ kālastattvatrayamanuttamam / vāsudevātmakaṃ nityametad vijñāya mucyate

Translation

Pradhāna (tự nhiên nguyên sơ), Puruṣa (ngã thức), và Thời gian—ba nguyên lý tối thượng này—vĩnh hằng mang bản tính của Vāsudeva. Ai liễu tri điều ấy thì được giải thoát.

Word by Word

• प्रधानम्: Prakṛti; the primordial matter
• प्रधानम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रधान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular (neuter)

• पुरुषः: Puruṣa; the spirit/person
• पुरुषः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पुरुष (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular (masc.)

• कालः: Time
• कालः: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: काल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; nominative singular (masc.)

• तत्त्वत्रयम्: the triad of principles
• तत्त्वत्रयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व + त्रय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular (neuter); षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (genitive determinative): 'of three principles'

• अनुत्तमम्: unsurpassed, supreme
• अनुत्तमम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनुत्तम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular (neuter); विशेषणम् (qualifier)

• वासुदेवात्मकम्: of the nature of Vāsudeva
• वासुदेवात्मकम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वासुदेव + आत्मक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; nominative/accusative singular (neuter); तत्पुरुषः: 'having the nature of Vāsudeva'

• नित्यम्: eternal; always
• नित्यम्: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; used adverbially; 'always/eternal'

• एतत्: this (teaching/thing)
• एतत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2), एकवचन; accusative singular (neuter pronoun)

• विज्ञाय: having understood
• विज्ञाय: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण; पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि + ज्ञा (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; 'having known/understood'

• मुच्यते: is liberated
• मुच्यते: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: मुच् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (present), कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; 'is released'

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Vāsudeva) instructing the sages/royal listener in a mokṣa-oriented teaching

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Vāsudeva
• Pradhāna
• Puruṣa
• Kāla

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It identifies the ultimate ground of reality as Vāsudeva, in whom even the foundational categories—Nature (pradhāna), Consciousness (puruṣa), and Time (kāla)—are rooted; realizing this unity is presented as liberating knowledge.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse emphasizes jñāna-yoga: contemplative discernment of tattvas culminating in recognition of Vāsudeva as their inner essence; in the Kurma Purana’s yogic framing, such tattva-viveka supports steady meditation (dhyāna) leading to mokṣa.

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

By declaring the highest metaphysical principles to be ‘Vāsudeva-essenced,’ it reflects the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis where the supreme Lord (often articulated through both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava language) is the single reality underlying all tattvas.