Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 66

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

Devanagari script

प्राजापत्यं ब्राह्मणानां स्मृतं स्थानं क्रियावताम् / स्थानमैन्द्रं क्षत्रियाणां संग्रामेष्वपलायिनाम्

Transliteration

prājāpatyaṃ brāhmaṇānāṃ smṛtaṃ sthānaṃ kriyāvatām / sthānamaindraṃ kṣatriyāṇāṃ saṃgrāmeṣvapalāyinām

Translation

勤修圣仪的婆罗门，其所安住之处被宣为“般若波提耶界”；战阵中不退避的刹帝利，其所安住之处被宣为“因陀罗界”（阿因陀罗界）。

Word by Word

• प्राजापत्यम्: the Prajāpatya (state/realm)
• प्राजापत्यम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्राजापत्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; नाम (designation)

• ब्राह्मणानाम्: of the Brahmins
• ब्राह्मणानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्राह्मण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• स्मृतम्: is declared/remembered
• स्मृतम्: Kriya (क्रिया/Predicative)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्मृ (धातु) + त (कृत् प्रत्यय)
• Form: कृत (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोगे ‘is said/remembered’

• स्थानम्: place/state/position
• स्थानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• क्रियावताम्: of those engaged in rites/actions
• क्रियावताम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रियावत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण

• स्थानम्: place/state
• स्थानम्: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्थान (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन

• ऐन्द्रम्: Indra’s; belonging to Indra
• ऐन्द्रम्: Visheshana (विशेषण/Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ऐन्द्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/Nominative), एकवचन; विशेषण (qualifies स्थानम्)

• क्षत्रियाणाम्: of the Kshatriyas
• क्षत्रियाणाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन

• संग्रामेषु: in battles
• संग्रामेषु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: संग्राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), बहुवचन

• अपलायिनाम्: of those who do not flee
• अपलायिनाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपलायिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), बहुवचन; विशेषण (not fleeing)

Speaker

Sūta (narrator) conveying the Kurma Purana’s dharma-teaching in context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: vira

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Prajapati
• Indra
• Brahmana
• Kshatriya

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it frames ethical action (kriyā) and steadfast duty (not fleeing battle) as dharmic disciplines that purify the jīva and lead to higher states of existence, preparing one for deeper realization taught later in the Purana.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

Not a meditation technique, but karma-yoga in the dharmic sense: disciplined performance of one’s svadharma—Vedic ritual for the brāhmaṇa and courageous protection/war-duty for the kṣatriya—presented as a spiritually consequential practice.

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

It does not explicitly mention Shiva–Vishnu unity; it supports the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis by grounding liberation-oriented teaching in orderly dharma, which later culminates in integrated Shaiva–Vaishnava spiritual instruction (including Pashupata-oriented themes).