Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 17

Puṣkara-dvīpa, Lokāloka, and the Measure of the Brahmāṇḍa

Cosmic Egg

Devanagari script

अण्डेष्वेतेषु सर्वेषु भुवनानि चतुर्दश / तत्र तत्र चतुर्वक्त्रा रुद्रा नारायणादयः

Transliteration

aṇḍeṣveteṣu sarveṣu bhuvanāni caturdaśa / tatra tatra caturvaktrā rudrā nārāyaṇādayaḥ

Translation

于一切梵卵之中，皆具十四世界（bhuvana）。而在每一处，皆有四面梵天、鲁陀罗、那罗延（Nārāyaṇa）等诸神威德同在。

Word by Word

• अण्डेषु: in (the) eggs (universes)
• अण्डेषु: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (अधिकरण/Locative), बहुवचनम्

• एतेषु: in these
• एतेषु: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एतद् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; अण्डेषु इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• सर्वेषु: in all
• सर्वेषु: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; एतेषु/अण्डेषु इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• भुवनानि: worlds
• भुवनानि: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भुवन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• चतुर्दश: fourteen
• चतुर्दश: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर्दश (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्ययवत् संख्या-समासः (द्विगु); भुवनानि इत्यस्य संख्याविशेषणम्

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्ययम् (locative adverb)

• तत्र: in each (of them)
• तत्र: अधिकरण (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: पुनरुक्ति-प्रयोगः (distributive: ‘here and there’)

• चतुर्-वक्त्राः: the four-faced (Brahmās)
• चतुर्-वक्त्राः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चतुर् (संख्या) + वक्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः (चत्वारि वक्त्राणि यस्य)

• रुद्राः: Rudras
• रुद्राः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रुद्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्

• नारायण-आदयः: Nārāyaṇa and others
• नारायण-आदयः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नारायण + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, बहुवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (नारायणः आदिः येषाम्)

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Purāṇic teaching to the sages, within the Kurma Purana’s cosmology section)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: shanta

Characters & Entities

• Brahma (Caturvaktra)
• Rudra
• Narayana
• Fourteen Lokas (Caturdaśa Bhuvana)
• Brahmanda (Cosmic Egg)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By placing Nārāyaṇa and Rudra (along with Brahmā) in every cosmic egg, the verse implies a single, pervasive divine reality manifesting as different cosmic functions—creation, preservation, and dissolution—across all realms.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific practice is prescribed in this verse; it provides a cosmological framework that supports meditation on the Lord as all-pervading—present in every world and universe—an outlook later aligned with the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis and contemplative theism.

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

Rudra and Nārāyaṇa are presented together as universally present principles within every brahmāṇḍa, reinforcing the Purāṇa’s integrative vision where Śiva and Viṣṇu are not rivals but complementary manifestations of the same cosmic sovereignty.