Kurma Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 27

Brahmā’s Lotus-Birth, the Sealing of the Cosmic Womb, and the Epiphany of Parameśvara

Hari–Hara Samanvaya

Devanagari script

ततो द्वाराणि सर्वाणि पिहितानि महात्मना / जनार्दनेन ब्रह्मासौ नाभ्यां द्वारमविन्दत

Transliteration

tato dvārāṇi sarvāṇi pihitāni mahātmanā / janārdanena brahmāsau nābhyāṃ dvāramavindata

Translation

于是，大心的阇那尔达那封闭了一切门户；而梵天则在脐处发现了一道开口。

Word by Word

• ततः: then/thereupon
• ततः: Desha-Kala (देश-काल/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय; तद्-प्रभव)
• Form: अव्यय (adverb of sequence)

• द्वाराणि: doors/gates
• द्वाराणि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• सर्वाणि: all
• सर्वाणि: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; विशेषणम् (qualifier of द्वाराणि)

• पिहितानि: closed/shut
• पिहितानि: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पि-धा (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त-भूतकर्मणि-क्त (past passive participle), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, बहुवचन; ‘closed’

• महात्मना: by the great-souled one
• महात्मना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महात्मन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन; कर्मधारयः (महान् आत्मा)

• जनार्दनेन: by Janardana (Vishnu)
• जनार्दनेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental), एकवचन

• ब्रह्मा: Brahmā
• ब्रह्मा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ब्रह्मन्/ब्रह्मा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन

• असौ: he (that one)
• असौ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/असौ (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• नाभ्याम्: through the navel
• नाभ्याम्: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental) एकवचन (वैकल्पिक-रूप: नाभ्या); ‘by/through the navel’

• द्वारम्: a door/opening
• द्वारम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्वार (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• अविन्दत: found/discovered
• अविन्दत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: विद् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथम-पुरुष, एकवचन; ‘found’

Speaker

Purāṇic narrator (Sūta-style narration within the Kurma Purana’s cosmology section)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: adbhuta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Characters & Entities

• Janārdana
• Brahmā

More Details (4 sections)

FAQs

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

By portraying Janārdana as the one who controls all “gates” and grants the single effective “opening,” the verse implies a supreme governing consciousness behind manifestation—creation proceeds through the Lord’s ordered will rather than autonomous material chance.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No direct yogic technique is prescribed in this verse; instead it provides a cosmological frame used by later Kurma Purana teachings—Yoga culminates in recognizing the single divine source (Īśvara) through whom the “inner door” to realization is opened.

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

Though Viṣṇu (Janārdana) is explicit here, the Kurma Purana’s broader synthesis reads such supreme agency as compatible with Śaiva metaphysics: the one Lord who regulates creation is ultimately the same Īśvara praised across Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva registers.