Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 26

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

Devanagari script

ऋचो यजूंषि सामानि तथैवाथर्वणानि च / ब्रह्मणः सहजं रूपं नित्यैषा शक्तिरव्यया

Transliteration

ṛco yajūṃṣi sāmāni tathaivātharvaṇāni ca / brahmaṇaḥ sahajaṃ rūpaṃ nityaiṣā śaktiravyayā

Translation

《梨俱》（Ṛk）、《夜柔》（Yajus）之咒式、《娑摩》（Sāman）之歌，以及《阿闼婆》（Atharvan）之赞颂——皆是梵（Brahman）与生俱来的形相；此即祂永恒不坏的圣力（Śakti）。

Word by Word

• ऋचः: Ṛc (Rig) verses
• ऋचः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋच्/ऋचा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Nominative plural feminine: “Ṛc-verses”

• यजूंषि: Yajus formulas
• यजूंषि: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यजुस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Nominative plural neuter: “Yajus formulas”

• सामानि: Sāman chants
• सामानि: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Nominative plural neuter: “Sāman chants”

• तथा: thus/likewise
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: क्रियाविशेषण (adverb/क्रियाविशेषण)

• एव: indeed
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle/निपात), अवधारणार्थ; “indeed/just”

• अथर्वणानि: Atharva (Atharvan) hymns
• अथर्वणानि: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अथर्वण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), बहुवचन; Nominative plural neuter: “Atharvan (Atharva) texts”

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय (Conjunction)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक (conjunction/समुच्चय)

• ब्रह्मणः: of Brahman/Brahmā
• ब्रह्मणः: सम्बन्ध (Genitive/षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), एकवचन; Genitive singular neuter: “of Brahman/Brahmā”

• सहजम्: innate
• सहजम्: विशेषण (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सहज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; here agreeing with रूपम् (n. sg.): “innate”

• रूपम्: form/nature
• रूपम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular neuter

• नित्या: eternal
• नित्या: विशेषण (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: नित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; agreeing with एषा/शक्तिः: “eternal”

• एषा: this
• एषा: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: एतद् (सर्वनाम/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Demonstrative pronoun: “this”

• शक्तिः: power
• शक्तिः: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; Nominative singular feminine

• अव्यया: imperishable
• अव्यया: विशेषण (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अव्यय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; agreeing with शक्तिः: “imperishable/unchanging”

Speaker

Lord Kūrma (Viṣṇu) instructing the sages/Indradyumna in Purāṇic discourse style

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahman
• Ṛgveda
• Yajurveda
• Sāmaveda
• Atharvaveda
• Śakti

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme (Brahman) as expressing an innate, eternal manifestation through Śruti—the four Vedas—indicating that revelation is not external to the Absolute but a natural mode of its power (śakti).

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific technique is taught in this verse; it establishes the scriptural foundation for yoga and dharma—treating the Vedas as Brahman’s imperishable śakti—thereby grounding disciplines like Pāśupata-oriented devotion, japa, and contemplation in Śruti authority.

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

By locating ultimate authority in Brahman and its eternal śakti (Śruti), the verse supports the Purāṇa’s non-sectarian synthesis: Śiva- and Viṣṇu-centered paths are validated insofar as they align with the same Vedic, Brahman-rooted truth.