Kurmavatara

 

Essence Of
Kurma Purana

 

3    Evolution of Brahmanda (the Golden Egg) and popular features of the Supreme Architect

Prakrtutim Purusham chaiva Pravishyashu Maheshwarah,

Khshobhayaamaasa yogena Parena Parameshwarah/

 Pradhaanaat kshobhamaanaaccha tathaa Pumsah Puraatanaat,

Praaduraaseen -mahad beejam Pradhaana Purushatmakam/

Mahatmaanaa Mati Brahma Prabuddhih Khyaatireeshwarah,

Prajnaa Dhrutih Smritih Samvidetasmaaditi tat smrutam/

Vaikaarikasthaijamascha Bhuta -adish chaiva Taamasah,

Trividhoyamahankaaro Mahatah Sambubhuva ha/

Ahamkaarobhimaanascha kartaa Mantaacha sa smrtutah,

Atmaacha Pudgalo jeevo yatah Sarvaah pravruttayah/

Pancha Bhutaanyahamkaaraat tanmaatraani cha janjirey,

Indriyaani tathaa Devaah Sarvam tasyataatmajam Jagat/  

(Parameshwara assumed the dual Forms of  Purusha and Prakriti and following their interaction appeared a Maha Beeja called Mahatma, Mati, Prabuddha, Khyati, Pragjna, Dhruti, Smruti and Samvit. This Maha Tatwa was the ‘Adi Karana’or the Prime Cause of Creation or Three Kinds of Ahamkara (Ego or Self Awareness) viz. Vaikarika, Taijasa, and Taamasa. This Ahamkara took to six kinds of Pravrittis or manifestations viz. Abhimaan, Karta, Manta, Atma, Pudgal and Jeeva. The Ahamkara created Pancha Bhutas of Prithvi-Jala-Teja-Vaayu and Akasha or Earth-Water-Radiance-Air and Sky; the Ahamkara also created Five ‘Tanmatras’ (Subtle Forms of Matter) of Shabda-Sparsha-Rupa-Rasa-Gandha or Sound-Touch-Vision-Taste and Smell; the corresponding Indriyas or Physical Parts of Ears-Skin-Eyes-Tongue and Nose). The undefinable ‘Manas’ or Mind is stated to be the first Vikara (Change or Transformation) and therefore Vaikarika Srishti got intiated by Vaikarika Ahamkaara. This Srishti comprised five Karmendriyas of hands, legs, mouth and organs of generation and excretion  besides Jnanendriyas of Ears, Nose, Eyes, Tongue and Skin and the Eleventh Indriya is of the Manas or Mind which is ‘Ubhayaatmaka’or a common feature.This is the Creation of Bhuta -tanmatraas and Bhutaatma Praja Srishti. Vikara prapta Bhutas produced  Shabda Tanmatra which further produced Akasha ; the Vaikarika Akasha  created  Sparsha Tanmatra and created Vaayu; Vaikara prapta Vaayu produced Rupa tanmatra ; (from Vayu Teja got created and further to Rupa); after interaction Teja created Rasa tanmatra which in turn produced Jala and its resultant  product of rasa; Jala and Gandha led to Sanghaat or Prithvi Tatwa and so on.

 The seven ‘Mahaatmas’ (Top Significances) viz. the Mahat, Ahamkaara and the Pancha Tatwas are inter-dependent and their combination only could take up Srishti.

Purushaadhishti Tatvaaccha Avykataanugrahenacha,

Mahadaaayo viseshaantaa hyanda mutpaadayantidey/

(There was a common role of Purusha, Maha Tatwa, Pancha Bhutas and others in floating the Brahmanada). The Brahmanda was floating on a huge mass of water and inside the Brahmanda was Kshetrajna Purusha also called Hamsa, Hiranya -garbha, Kapila, Chaandomurti and Sanatana. Within the Brahmanda were Meru, Mountains and Samudras. Also present were Devatas, Asuras, Maanavas, Nakshatras, Vayu, Surya and Chandra. Outside the Brahmanda, there was a wide spread of water ten times larger than the size of the Golden Egg. There also was illumination of ten times more of the water and ten times further was the volume of Vayu. Far more voluminous than the size of the Vayu was that of Aakasha and far beyond was the Akakasha was thick layer of Ahankara; spread all over Ahamkara was that of Maha Tatwa; indeed the Maha Tatwa was stated to be of the Great Unknown! 

Bhagavan Kurma Deva thus explained to Rishis about the genesis of Brahmanada and confirmed that the Maya surrounded the seven layers of Jala, Tejas, Vayu, Aakaasha, Ahamkara, Maha Tatwa and Paramatma. He also described with conviction to the Rishis the meaning of some of the Names that He assumed in different contexts:

Ekopi Sanmahadevastridhaasou samavasthitah,

Sargarakshaa layagunairnirgunopi Niranjanah,

Ekadhaa sa dwidhaachaiva Tridhaacha Bahudaa punah/

Yogeshwarah Shariraani karoti vikaroticha,

Naanaa kruti kriyaa rupa naamavanti Swaleelayaa/

Hitaayachaiva Bhaktaanaam sa eva grasatey punah,

Tridhaa vibhajya chaatmaanam Trikaalye sampravartatey,

Srujatey Grasatey chaiva veekshatey cha viseshatah/

Yasmaat srushtaanugruhnaati grasateycha punah prajaah,

Gunaatmakatwaat Trailokye tasmaadekah sa ucchyatey/

Agrey Hiranya garbhah  sa praadurbhutah Sanatanah,

Aditwaadaadi Devaasou Ajaatatwaadajah smrutah/

Paati yasmaan Prajaah Sarvaah Prajaapatiriti smrutah,

Deveshu cha Mahadevo Mahadeva iti smritah/

Brihatvaaccha smruto Brahmaa Paratwaat Parameshwarah,

Vashitwaadapya vashyatwaadishwarah paribhashitah/

Rishih Sarvatragatwena Harih Sarvaharo yatah,

Anupaadyaachha Puurvatwaat Swayambhuriti sa smrutah/

Naraayaanamayano yasmaat tena Naaraayanah smrutah,

Harah samsaaraharanaad vibhutvaad Vishnuruchyatey/

Bhagavaan sarva Vijnaanaadavanaadomiti smrutah,

Sarvajnah Sarva Vigjnaanaat Sarvah Sarvamayoyatah/

Shivah sa nirmalo yasmaad Vibhuh Sarvagato yatah,

Taaranaat Sarva duhkhaanaam Taarakah parigeeyatey/

Bahunaatra kimuktena Sarvam Brahmamayam  Jagat,

Aneka bheda bhinnastu kreedayatey Parameshwarah/

(Even as a Unique and Singular Entity, the  Nirguna-Niranjana  assumed Three Forms since the tasks expected were some what self-contradictory viz. Creation-Preservation and Extermination and three distinct Gunas or Features were required to take up the deeds. Maha Deva was in fact accustomed to assume various Forms-some times as one, or two or three and even as in Ananta Rupas or in Endless Profiles. He was playfully habituated to sport different forms, deeds and names appropriate to exigencies of Srishthi-Sthiti and Samhara; this was so since he performed the tasks on his own or by his agents. As he executed the deeds simultaneously with the predominance of one Guna or another or all of the Gunas together, he came to be called Advaita to the One and Only; at the beginning itself he was the foremost to appear he was named as Adideva;as he was never born he was named Ajanma; as he was deeply involved in the happenings of one and all among the human beings, he was named Prajapati  and as he was the Supreme of  Prajas or the People; as he was the Foremost of the Devas, he was called as Maha Deva; he was the ‘Parama’ or the Ultimate, and was thus named Parameshwara; as he well-known as Sarva Harana at the time of Pralaya of the Universe or at the end of one’s Life Journey, he had the name of Hari; as he was Self-Generated or put in differently he got Materialised on his own, he was known as Swayambhu; as he was popular as the Final Refuge Point or Ayana of one and all, he was named Naraayana;  it was in another context that he was lying or Ayana on ‘Naara’or Water popular as Ksheera Sagara his most popular name was Narayana; as he is Omni Present anywhere in the Universe occupying the Entirety he is called Vishnu; as he is the Omni-Scient of the goings-on all over spread the length and breadth of the Totality he had the Unique Epithet of OM; as he was the Epitome of Visishtha Jnaana or the Distinctive Knowledge of Everything, he was called Sarvgjna;  as he was Atma Swarupa he was known as Sarva; Shiva as he was Mala Shunya;  Vibhu as he was Sarva Vyapta or All- Pervading and Taraka  as he could steer clear of any types of obsctacles. Indeed, is there a need for overemphasis of the obvious by way of explanations about Parameshwara, his innumerable and varied Rupas, leelaas or his playful activities! Suffice to say that the very Existence of the Universe is owed to him!)



Prev: Vishnu’s Avatara as Kurma, Lakshmi as Maya and Revelation of Tatwa Gyaan

Quick Jump: