Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 18
Brahmā’s Lotus-Birth, the Sealing of the Cosmic Womb, and the Epiphany of Parameśvara
Hari–Hara Samanvaya
एवमाभाष्य विश्चात्मा प्रोवाच पुरुषं हरिः / जानन्नपि महायोगी को भवानिति वेधसम्
evamābhāṣya viścātmā provāca puruṣaṃ hariḥ / jānannapi mahāyogī ko bhavāniti vedhasam
如是言毕，哈利（Hari）——遍满宇宙之自性——便向那至上之普鲁沙开示。虽为早已了知的大瑜伽行者，他仍问维陀诃斯（造物主）曰：“汝是谁？”
Narrator (describing Hari/Vishnu speaking to Vedhas/Brahma)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: hasya
FAQs
By calling Hari “viśvātmā,” the verse frames the Supreme as the indwelling Self of all beings, beyond mere personal form—hinting that divinity pervades creation as inner consciousness.
The verse highlights yogic omniscience (jñāna born of yoga): Hari is termed “mahāyogī,” indicating mastery of inner knowledge, yet he asks a question to initiate teaching—an instructional method common in yoga-śāstra dialogues.
Indirectly, it models the Purana’s non-sectarian method: the Supreme (Hari as viśvātmā) engages the cosmic creator in inquiry, a pattern later used to harmonize divine functions across traditions, supporting the Kurma Purana’s Shaiva–Vaishnava synthesis.