Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 20

Cosmic Night, Nārāyaṇa as Brahmā, and the Varāha Raising of the Earth

Devanagari script

तमो ऽस्त्वादित्यवर्णाय नमस्ते पद्मयोनये / नमो ऽमूर्ताय मूर्ताय माधवाय नमो नमः

Transliteration

tamo 'stvādityavarṇāya namaste padmayonaye / namo 'mūrtāya mūrtāya mādhavāya namo namaḥ

Translation

愿黑暗在汝前消散，汝具日轮之色。礼敬于汝，莲华胎藏之源（Padma-yoni）。礼敬于汝，既无相亦有相——向摩陀婆（Mādhava）再三致敬。

Word by Word

• tamaḥ: darkness (as written)
• tamaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; here used as salutation-like exclamation per transmitted text (expected: namaḥ)

• astu: may it be
• astu: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: लोट्, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• ādityavarṇāya: to the one of sun-like color
• ādityavarṇāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āditya + varṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (ādityasya varṇaḥ)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• te: to you
• te: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tvad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी, एकवचन

• padmayonaye: to the lotus-wombed (born from lotus)
• padmayonaye: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: padma + yoni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (padmasya yoniḥ)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; namo = namaḥ before vowel

• amūrtāya: to the formless
• amūrtāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: amūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• mūrtāya: to the formed; embodied
• mūrtāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: mūrta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; विशेषणम्

• mādhavāya: to Mādhava
• mādhavāya: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: mādhava (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी, एकवचन; विष्णोः संज्ञा (epithet of Viṣṇu)

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; namo = namaḥ before voiced sound

• namaḥ: salutation
• namaḥ: Sambodhana/Address (सम्बोधनार्थ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: namas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; पुनरुक्ति (repetition for emphasis)

Speaker

A devotee/sage offering a stuti (hymn) within the narrative frame of the Kurma Purana

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Mādhava (Vishnu)
• Āditya (solar radiance)
• Padmayoni (lotus-source epithet)

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

It presents the Supreme as both amūrta (formless, beyond attributes) and mūrta (manifest, approachable in form), implying one Reality that can be realized inwardly as the attributeless Self and worshipped outwardly as the personal Lord.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

The verse points to tamas-nivṛtti (removal of darkness/ignorance) through contemplative remembrance of the Lord’s luminous nature—supporting a bhakti-informed meditation where the mind moves from a visible support (mūrti) toward the formless truth (amūrta).

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

By affirming one Supreme who is simultaneously manifest and unmanifest, the verse aligns with the Kurma Purana’s synthetic theology: sectarian names differ, but the ultimate Lord is one—supporting a non-dual reading often used to harmonize Shiva and Vishnu.