Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 21

Cosmic Realms Above Dhruva, the Pātālas Below, and the Foundation of Pralaya

Ananta–Kāla

Devanagari script

वैनतेयादिभिश्चैव कालनेमिपुरोगमैः / पूर्वदेवैः समाकीर्णं सुतलं च तथापरैः

Transliteration

vainateyādibhiścaiva kālanemipurogamaiḥ / pūrvadevaiḥ samākīrṇaṃ sutalaṃ ca tathāparaiḥ

Translation

苏塔拉（Sutala）亦复如是，充满毗那帝耶（Vainateya，迦楼罗）等众，以迦罗内弥（Kālanemi）为首；又有昔日诸天与其他众生杂然同处。

Word by Word

• वैनतेयादिभिः: by Vainateya (Garuḍa) and others
• वैनतेयादिभिः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैनतेय-आदि (प्रातिपदिक); components: वैनतेय + आदि
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural; ‘by Vainateya and others’

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• एव: indeed
• एव: अवधारण (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-निपात

• कालनेमिपुरोगमैः: by those led by Kālanemi
• कालनेमिपुरोगमैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कालनेमि-पुरोगम (प्रातिपदिक); components: कालनेमि + पुरोगम
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural; तत्पुरुषसमास ‘having Kālanemi in front/led by Kālanemi’

• पूर्वदेवैः: by the former gods
• पूर्वदेवैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पूर्व-देव (प्रातिपदिक); components: पूर्व + देव
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural; कर्मधारय ‘former/ancient gods’

• समाकीर्णम्: filled/crowded
• समाकीर्णम्: विशेषण (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम्+आ+कीर् (धातु) → समाकीर्ण (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; predicative adjective ‘filled/crowded’ (qualifies सुतलम्)

• सुतलम्: Sutala
• सुतलम्: विशेष्य (Topic/Name)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सुतल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (Conjunctive)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-निपात

• तथा: also
• तथा: क्रियाविशेषण (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; ‘also/likewise’

• अपरैः: by others
• अपरैः: करण (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; Instrumental plural

Speaker

Suta (narrator) recounting the Purāṇic cosmography to the sages (Naimiṣāraṇya frame)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Vainateya (Garuḍa)
• Kālanemi
• Pūrva-devas
• Sutala

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

This verse is primarily cosmographical, describing who inhabits Sutala; it does not directly teach Ātman-doctrine, but it supports the Purāṇic view that all classes of beings are situated within an ordered cosmos governed by dharma and īśvara.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No explicit yoga practice is taught in this line; it belongs to the Kurma Purana’s world-description sections rather than the Ishvara Gita/Pāśupata-yoga instruction passages.

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

It does not explicitly mention Śiva or Viṣṇu; indirectly, by mapping beings across lokas, it fits the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis where the same supreme governance (īśvara) underlies both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava theological presentations.