Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 15

Durjaya, Urvaśī, and the Expiation at Vārāṇasī

Genealogy and Sin-Removal through Viśveśvara

Devanagari script

स्वामिन् किमत्र भवतो भीतिरद्य प्रवर्तते / तद् ब्रूहि मे यथा तत्त्वं न राज्ञां कीर्तये त्विदम्

Transliteration

svāmin kimatra bhavato bhītiradya pravartate / tad brūhi me yathā tattvaṃ na rājñāṃ kīrtaye tvidam

Translation

噢，主宰啊，为何今日在此你心中生起恐惧？请如实告知我真相；我并非为颂扬诸王而问，而是为明了真实的本原——tattva。

Word by Word

• स्वामिन्: O master
• स्वामिन्: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वामिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (8/सम्बोधन), एकवचन; address-form

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; interrogative pronoun

• अत्र: here
• अत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• भवतः: of you
• भवतः: Sambandha/Genitive (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/षष्ठी), एकवचन; honorific pronoun

• भीतिः: fear
• भीतिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अद्य: today/now
• अद्य: Kala-adhikarana (काल-अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अद्य (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; कालवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (temporal adverb)

• प्रवर्तते: arises/occurs
• प्रवर्तते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्र√वृत् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन; demonstrative pronoun

• ब्रूहि: tell (you)
• ब्रूहि: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ब्रू (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (आज्ञार्थ), मध्यमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• मे: to me
• मे: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी (6/4), एकवचन; enclitic pronoun

• यथा: as/how
• यथा: Prakara (प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; प्रकारवाचक/उपमानवाचक (manner/comparative)

• तत्त्वम्: the truth
• तत्त्वम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत्त्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निषेध (negation particle)

• राज्ञाम्: of kings
• राज्ञाम्: Sambandha/Genitive (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• कीर्तये: for (their) fame
• कीर्तये: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कीर्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4/चतुर्थी), एकवचन; purpose dative

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधान/विरोधार्थक निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2/द्वितीया), एकवचन

Speaker

An inquirer addressing a superior (contextually a king/sage addressing a revered lord/elder; often framed around Indradyumna–sage dialogue in Purva-bhaga narrative style)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: karuna

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Kings (rājñām)

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

Indirectly: it prioritizes tattva (reality/principle) over worldly praise, aligning with the Purana’s broader stance that spiritual inquiry seeks truth rather than status.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No technique is named, but the verse foregrounds tattva-jijñāsā (inquiry into reality), a foundational attitude for disciplines like Pāśupata Yoga and contemplative discernment taught elsewhere in the Kurma Purana.

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

It does not name Shiva or Vishnu, yet its emphasis on truth over eulogy matches the Kurma Purana’s non-sectarian method: inquiry into tattva supersedes partisan glorification.