Kurma Purana — Uttara Bhaga, Shloka 17

Īśvara-Gītā (continued): Twofold Yoga, Aṣṭāṅga Discipline, Pāśupata Meditation, and the Unity of Nārāyaṇa–Maheśvara

Devanagari script

परद्रव्यापहरणं चौर्याद् वाथ बलेन वा / स्तेयं तस्यानाचरणादस्तेयं धर्मसाधनम्

Transliteration

paradravyāpaharaṇaṃ cauryād vātha balena vā / steyaṃ tasyānācaraṇādasteyaṃ dharmasādhanam

Translation

أخذُ مالِ الغير، خُفيةً سرقةً أو قهرًا بالقوة، يُسمّى سرقةً (ستِيا). والامتناعُ عن ذلك هو «أستِيا» أي عدم السرقة، وهو وسيلةٌ لإقامة الدَّرْمَة وانضباطٌ أساسٌ للحياة الروحية.

Word by Word

• पर-द्रव्य-अपहरणम्: taking another’s property
• पर-द्रव्य-अपहरणम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पर (प्रातिपदिक) + द्रव्य (प्रातिपदिक) + अपहरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुष-समासः (determinative: 'taking away of another's property')

• चौर्यात्: from theft/through stealing
• चौर्यात्: हेतु/अपादान (Cause/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: चौर्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (sg.)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (Particle/अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• अथ: and/then
• अथ: सम्बन्ध (Particle/अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनन्तर/समुच्चयार्थक (then/also)

• बलेन: by force
• बलेन: करण (Karaṇa/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन (sg.)

• वा: or
• वा: सम्बन्ध (Particle/अव्यय-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वा (अव्यय)
• Form: विकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (disjunctive particle)

• स्तेयम्: stealing
• स्तेयम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.)

• तस्य: of that/of it
• तस्य: षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध (Genitive relation/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसक (m./n.), षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन (sg.)

• अनाचरणात्: from non-practice/through refraining
• अनाचरणात्: हेतु/अपादान (Cause/Ablative/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनाचरण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन (sg.)

• अस्तेयम्: non-stealing
• अस्तेयम्: कर्ता (Karta/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्तेय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.)

• धर्म-साधनम्: a means to dharma
• धर्म-साधनम्: क्रिया-विशेष (Predicate/विधेय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: धर्म (प्रातिपदिक) + साधन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग (n.), प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), एकवचन (sg.); तत्पुरुषः (determinative: 'means of dharma')

Speaker

Lord Kurma (Vishnu) teaching within the Ishvara Gita context

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: raudra

Characters & Entities

• Kurma
• Vishnu
• Ishvara Gita
• Dharma

More Details (3 sections)

FAQs

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

By grounding spiritual progress in dharma, the verse implies that clarity of the Self is supported by ethical restraint; non-stealing purifies intention and reduces ego-driven grasping that obscures Atman-realization.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

It highlights the yama of asteya (non-stealing) as a prerequisite discipline for Yoga in the Ishvara Gita framework—ethical restraint that stabilizes the mind for meditation and devotion.

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

While not naming Shiva directly, it reflects the Kurma Purana’s shared Shaiva–Vaishnava soteriology: the same Ishvara teaches Yoga through universal dharma (like asteya), a common foundation across Pashupata and Vaishnava paths.