Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 53

Kali-yuga Doṣas, the Supremacy of Rudra as Refuge, and the Closure of the Manvantara Teaching

Devanagari script

मन्वन्तरेषु सर्वेषु अतीतानागतेषु वै / तुल्याभिमानिनः सर्वे नामरूपैर्भवन्त्युत

Transliteration

manvantareṣu sarveṣu atītānāgateṣu vai / tulyābhimāninaḥ sarve nāmarūpairbhavantyuta

Translation

于一切摩奴期——无论过去或未来——众生在自我执取上实则相同；他们凭借种种名与相，一次又一次地生起显现。

Word by Word

• manvantareṣu: in the manvantaras
• manvantareṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manvantara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sarveṣu: in all
• sarveṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural; विशेषणम् (manvantareṣu)

• atīta-anāgateṣu: in the past and future (ones)
• atīta-anāgateṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: atīta + anāgata (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Locative (7th/सप्तमी), Plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (अतीतेषु च अनागतेषु च) qualifying manvantareṣu

• vai: indeed
• vai: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: vai (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphasis particle

• tulyābhimāninaḥ: having equal self-conceit/identity
• tulyābhimāninaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tulya + abhimānin (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; तत्पुरुषः (तुल्यः अभिमानः येषां ते) used adjectivally

• sarve: all (of them)
• sarve: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (1st/प्रथमा), Plural; (substantive use: 'all (persons/beings)')

• nāma-rūpaiḥ: by name and form
• nāma-rūpaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāma + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Plural; इतरेतर-द्वन्द्वः (नाम च रूपं च)

• bhavanti: become / exist
• bhavanti: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √bhū (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपद

• uta: also / indeed
• uta: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: uta (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; emphatic/additive particle (अपि/च)

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) instructing the interlocutors on cyclical creation and identity through nāma-rūpa

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Manvantara
• Nāma-rūpa

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

It implies that what repeats across Manvantaras is the pattern of ego-identification with nāma-rūpa; the Atman is to be understood as distinct from these changing names and forms.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse supports a yogic discipline of reducing abhimāna (ego-notion) and practicing viveka (discernment) between the Self and nāma-rūpa—central to liberation-oriented Yoga and the Kurma Purana’s ascetic-ethical trajectory.

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

By emphasizing a single metaphysical principle beyond nāma-rūpa and cyclic manifestation, it aligns with the Purana’s non-sectarian synthesis: the Supreme Lord spoken of by Vishnu (Kurma) is the same highest reality revered in Shaiva and Vaishnava frames.